Destiny
by arliddian
Summary: AU. Anakin Skywalker is destined to change the future. His best friend, Tsena Jotain, is destined to change his. What do they have to do to fulfil their destinies and bring balance to the Force?
1. Reunions

**Destiny**

**Summary: **AU. Anakin Skywalker is destined to change the future. His best friend, Tsena Jotain, is destined to change his. What do they have to do to fulfil their destinies and bring balance to the Force?

**Characters: **OCs: Tsena Jotain and her Master, Jovarii Amara. Also, Anakin, Obi-Wan, Yoda, Mace, Palpatine and any other characters within the timeline that are the invention of George Lucas

**Timeframe: **AotC timeline, into RotS. Elements of the AotC part is taken from the novels, for which I give the authors full credit.

**Disclaimer:** All things recognisably Star Wars belong to George Lucas. I just like making up my own stories.

**A/N:** This is my first fic ever – please review, but be nice! Otherwise, I might go over to the Dark Side like Anakin and try to slaughter all the innocent reviewers. _Italic_ type is thought/dreams, **bold** type is Force communication. It's not too tricky to figure out. So yes, this is my first attempt – hope you enjoy!

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**Chapter One: Reunions**

_It's good to be home,_ Anakin Skywalker thought as he strode into the Jedi Temple behind his master, Obi-Wan Kenobi. _Feels like I haven't been in Coruscant for years._ He looked into the training rooms as he passed, watching young children training with miniature lightsabers and older masters meditating quietly. Anakin was itching to begin preparation for the Jedi trials in these familiar places. He couldn't wait to show his friends the skill he had picked up on his missions with Obi-Wan. _Speaking of friends…_

"Master!" he called to Obi-Wan, stopping in his tracks.

"Yes, Anakin?" his Master responded, turning to face him.

"Could I have a few minutes?" Anakin gestured to the room he had stopped beside. Seeing the occupant, Obi-Wan gave a slight smile. He had been hoping to discuss their last mission and launch Anakin back into training, but he knew that the boy had been missing the Temple and his friends.

"Yes, of course, Padawan," he replied. "Come find me when you are ready."

"Thank you, Master." Anakin grinned, then turned and leaned against the doorframe. Inside, his friend Tsena Jotain sat meditating, her eyes calmly shut and her back ridiculously straight. He grinned, and sent her a message through the Force.

**Hey Jotain – have you figured out the mysteries of the universe yet?**

Tsena's blue and gold eyes snapped open, and her hand leapt to her chest in shock.

"Anakin?" she exclaimed when she saw him standing there, laughing at her. She shot him a severe look. "Why did you disturb me? You know how important it is for me to meditate for as long as I can."

He returned her glare, his face sullen. A few tense seconds ticked by – until both Padawans' angry faces split into delighted laughter. Tsena rose and crossed the room swiftly to embrace her friend.

"It's good to see you, Anakin," she smiled. _I missed you,_ she added silently, more to herself than to him.

"It's good to see you too, Tsena." **And I missed you too.**

Startled, Tsena looked up at him. She hadn't realised he'd understood her thought. Then again, they had always shared a close bond, ever since they first met when they were children in the Temple. "You must have learned so much since the last time we were together," she said.

"Well, _one_ of us should have learned something!" he teased. "After all, you didn't even sense me at the door, despite the fact that you were meditating and concentrating so hard!"

She raised an eyebrow and Force-pushed him out the door and lightly into the hallway wall.

"Hey!" he protested, eyes bright with suppressed laughter. "A Jedi does not know anger, remember?"

"Who said I was angry?" She widened her own eyes – the left eye golden and the right eye blue. The mismatched colours only exaggerated her expressions. "You'd better go now, though. I need to finish meditation, and you should go find your Master."

"Okay, I'm going." He gave her another quick hug, and she turned to go.

"Tsena?"

She faced him. "Yes?"

Anakin looked at her, a strange expression on his face. "I really did miss you."

* * *

Tsena smiled, then entered the room and settled on the floor again. Anakin watched her quietly for a few moments before leaving to find Obi-Wan. _Yes,_ he mused. _I really missed her._

"_I really did miss you."_ Anakin's words reverberated in Tsena's mind. She frowned and shook her head slightly, trying to clear and empty her thoughts. Again, Anakin's voice echoed in her mind, and his face appeared behind her closed eyelids. She sighed and opened her eyes. It didn't look like she'd be able to concentrate very well any more. _Thanks Anakin – you've ruined my concentration **twice** now._ Not that she was angry with him. She hardly ever was angry. How could she be? She was too happy that he was back to be irritated. For a moment, she pondered why she was so glad he was home. _Well, all our other friends are on missions. And I haven't seen Anakin in almost five months now,_ she reasoned. She could feel that there was something more – some other reason deep beneath the surface – but she shook her head again, pulling her long wavy black hair off her face and twisting it into a knot at the back of her head. Her Master would come to get her soon. She might as well try to clear Anakin from her head and attempt another half-hour of meditation. _At least he's back. It was lonely without him. And it seems like he really was thinking of me, too_.

* * *

Obi-Wan looked up as he sensed his Padawan's approach.

"How is Tsena?" he asked as Anakin sat beside him.

"The same as always," the young man responded with a grin. "Irritated at me for disturbing her meditation."

Obi-Wan smiled briefly. After a minute he spoke again. "Tomorrow morning we will continue your training here in the temple." He sensed a flicker of hope leap in his apprentice.

"Training? In preparation for the trials?"

He could hear the eagerness in Anakin's voice clearly. He sighed inwardly, knowing what would happen next. They had gone through it many times before already.

"No, Anakin. You are not ready yet."

"Yes I am!" Anakin blazed, bristling with anger. "Other Jedi my age have made it through the trials. I know I began my training later, but I've already passed everyone else! I know I'm ready now!"

"You still have much to learn, my young Padawan," Obi-Wan replied calmly. "You are still too brash, too impatient. You cannot see fault within yourself. When you have learned to control your impulses and your temper, you will truly be ready for the trials."

Anakin stood up abruptly. "I'm ready for the trials, Master." His voice was forcibly calm, but his hands were shaking. "You know it too, and for some reason I cannot fathom, you don't want me to move forward. Well, there's nothing I can do about that, but you should know that I completely disagree with you." He stalked off toward the training rooms. Obi-Wan watched him go with a sigh.

_Oh, Anakin. Can't you see? **That's** why I don't want you to take the trials. What if that anger caused you to turn from your path? I couldn't stand to lose you to the Dark Side._

"Trouble with the Chosen One?" a female voice interrupted his thoughts. He looked to his left and saw his old rival Jovarii Amara slipping into the seat next to him. He gave her a wry smile.

"You could say that."

"I couldn't help overhearing. You were right though," she said, looking at him sideways. "He's too impulsive. And I don't think he's ready for the trials yet, I agree with you there."

Surprised, he stared at the side of her blonde head. He and Jovarii had been very competitive when they were both Padawans. She had adored his master, Qui-Gon Jinn, and had been determined to prove that she was a better Jedi than Obi-Wan. After Qui-Gon had died, they had patched up their differences – but although they had become friends, their relationship had always been a little shaky. She rarely ever agreed with him, for instance. "I'm glad someone does." He rubbed a hand over his face wearily. "The boy is impossible sometimes."

Jovarii smirked. "Well, it would be frustrating for him, knowing that his is incredibly powerful and skilled, but getting no praise or approval to take the trials. He _is_ impatient, after all, with a temper to match."

"Was that a criticism of Anakin or me?" Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow at her. She chuckled.

"Both. Don't worry, Kenobi – I will make sure your Padawan isn't the only one to receive all the criticism going around here." She stood up to go. "It's nice to have you back to criticise and argue with again, especially since I've been here for three months with nothing to do." A look of annoyance crossed her face. Obi-Wan smiled. He knew she hated not having a mission to keep her occupied. She thrived on adventure and action, opportunities to use her skills. In that way, she was quite similar to Anakin. "Have you seen Tsena? I want to give her some lightsaber drills," she asked him.

Obi-Wan found it a little amusing how Anakin's childhood friend was his own childhood rival's Padawan. "She was in a meditation room. Anakin stopped to greet her," he replied.

"Thanks," Jovarii nodded at him, then paused. "I kind of missed having you around, Kenobi. Irritating you is a lot more interesting than wandering around the Archives all day."

He laughed. "It's good to see you too, Jovarii."

She gave him a rare sincere smile, then swept off. He stood up and looked around. He would have to find his own Padawan soon – but he knew he would need some time to cool off first. He closed his eyes briefly. Maybe Jovarii was right – maybe he should give Anakin more encouragement. He still was not ready for the trials – but maybe he should hear it in a positive way for once.

* * *

_Obi-Wan doesn't know what he's talking about! I'm ready! I'm stronger than him – I should be a Knight already!_ Anakin fumed as he angrily deflected each attack from the training remotes. As his bitterness increased, so did his tempo – his lightsaber a blur of light as he began attacking the droids. They fell sizzling to the floor as he sliced his way through them. _I **hate** him!_ With this last angry thought, Anakin lunged, plunging his blade into the last remote, and watched, breathing heavily, as it fell with a clatter. He stared dazedly at the mess littered at his feet, the smell of singed metal pervading the air. Then the realisation of what he had just done sank in, and he slumped to the floor with a groan, all his anger dissipating. _What was I thinking? I don't hate Obi-Wan. I love him like a father._ He deactivated his lightsaber and began sweeping up the fallen droids. _Obi-Wan's right. I do need to control my temper. A Jedi does not know anger or hatred – and look what I just did. I destroyed four training remotes out of energy channelled by anger, and I said I hated my Master._ He looked gloomily down at his hands. Maybe he should sit awhile and meditate – clear his mind. Then he would find Obi-Wan and apologise for his outburst. _He was right, after all. He usually is._ Anakin sat down on one of the benches lining the walls and reluctantly closed his eyes and began to meditate.

Just then, the door slid open, and Anakin looked up to see Tsena and Jovarii walk in, lightsabers in hand. Tsena looked mildly surprised to see him. Jovarii, on the other hand, seemed as if she had expected to find him there.

"Anakin," she nodded at him by way of a greeting.

"Master Amara," he replied, standing and giving a short bow. Despite knowing her for years, Anakin always felt that her presence commanded a degree of respect.

"Obi-Wan will be coming for you shortly," she continued. "In the meantime, I hope you don't mind if Tsena works on her lightsaber training here." Her gaze swept the room, her eyebrows lifting when she caught sight of the small pile of broken remotes in the corner. Anakin flushed slightly. It was bad enough that he had lost control of his emotions. He didn't want Jovarii – or Tsena – to know that too.

"Not at all," he hesitated for a second. "Would it be all right if I watched?" he glanced at his friend, who gave him her usual calm smile.

Jovarii looked at Tsena. "It's fine with me, if Tsena doesn't mind."

"No, it's fine," came the quiet reply. "Just no laughing."

Anakin settled back in his seat to watch the pair fight. While Jovarii was more imaginative and adventurous in her attacks, Tsena's defence was solid and effective. There was no doubt that his friend was skilled – but she lacked her Master's accuracy and precision in her attacks. However, as the fight progressed, Anakin could see Tsena gaining more confidence, and her moves drove her Master back more often. The contest became more of a dance, each gaining the upper hand only to lose it seconds later. Anakin gave up analysing the technical and strategical points simply to enjoy the spectacle. Tsena now had more control over the battle, and in a few minutes it was over – Jovarii momentarily lost her concentration and Tsena kicked out, landing her Master on her back with her lightsaber at her neck. She reached out and helped her to her feet.

"Much better today, Padawan," Jovarii grinned, deactivating her saber and replacing the hilt in her belt.

"Thank you Master," Tsena panted, out of breath. She smiled over her shoulder at Anakin. "I think I must be having a good day."

"Well, let's see how good a day it is." Her Master turned to regard their audience. "Anakin! Come here."

Anakin walked over warily. There was no telling what Jovarii would make him do. _Probably Force-throw things at Tsena to give her blocking practice – and me ducking practice!_

Sensing his thoughts, Jovarii smirked. She stepped away from the two. "Spar with Tsena. She could use the practice."

Tsena gave Anakin an apologetic smile. **She's right, I _do_ need the practice – I'm really not very skilled. I need a lot of improvement.**

He shrugged and activated his own lightsaber. _It's just like Tsena to say she's not skilled when she just defeated her Master. She's modest almost to a fault!_ Quickly, he mentally replayed Tsena's performance, recalling her weaknesses and strengths. If he was to spar with her, he might as well get some training of his own in as well.

He raised his lightsaber and ran forward. His heavy attack caught Tsena off-guard, and she struggled to fend off his parries. However, as before, she gained momentum and began to drive him back. He brought his blade lower and kicked out at her legs, but she flipped over his head and landed behind him, bringing her saber down in a blow that he only just managed to block in time. They pulled apart and circled each other. _I'm going to have to take risks if I want to beat him,_ Tsena realised. She charged forward, not striking high as was the norm, but attacking at his knees. Surprised, Anakin jumped back and dodged out of the way. Once he regained his footing, he placed his attacks in impossible angles, forcing her to defend and block more than attack. The fight went on, both Padawans moving with stunning grace and precision.

The door slid open and Obi-Wan walked in. Jovarii turned and grinned at him. "Enjoy the show," she mouthed, motioning silently towards the pair, who had not broken their concentration or their pace. Obi-Wan stood beside her, his eyes following his Padawan's every move. He couldn't help but feel a swell of pride as he watched Anakin use the Force, allowing it to guide each parry and attack. _His skill with a lightsaber is incredible. He is certainly not perfect – but in a few years he will be one of the greatest swordsmen the Jedi will ever see._

Tsena was tiring. Wisps of her hair were falling from the now-loose knot, and the tendrils stuck to her damp neck as she spun around to block Anakin's flurry. He could sense her weariness and moved in quickly. With one clever move, he knocked her lightsaber out of her hand and flipped her onto the ground. With a cocky grin, he saluted her and reached out to help her up. She grasped his hand and let him pull her to her feet, using the Force to snap her lightsaber back into her hand. She flicked her Padawan braid over her shoulder and shook the rest of her hair out of its knot.

"I guess my day isn't quite that good," she managed to say, breathing heavily.

Anakin wiped his forehead and laughed, but stopped short at the sight of his Master. Tsena caught the unusually pensive and sombre look on his face, and sensed that he wanted some time with Obi-Wan alone.

"Thank you for the training, Anakin," she smiled, walking with him back to their Masters. "You've given me a lot to work on."

"Thank _you_, Tsena. Honestly, I didn't think I'd have to work that hard to defeat you. You taught me to expect surprises."

"Come, Tsena – you've trained hard. We'll go for a drink." Jovarii nodded to Obi-Wan and Anakin, then walked out, her Padawan giving the two a quick smile then following behind.

When they were gone, Anakin turned to Obi-Wan. His Master's face looked stern and almost grieved. He took a deep breath. "Master, I'm sorry for what happened earlier. You were right. I'm not ready for the trials right now. I should have listened to you."

Obi-Wan's face softened. "The way you reacted was wrong, there's no two ways about that." He felt Anakin stiffen, probably anticipating another lecture. "But I can see that you are truly sorry. I wish to apologise as well," he continued. His Padawan looked up in surprise. "I'm sorry if I was overly critical of you, Anakin. I swore to you that you would be a Jedi – but I don't want you to become a Knight before you are ready. I point out your shortcomings to help you grow, not to hurt you."

"I know, Master. And I am truly grateful to be your Padawan."

"And I am glad to be your Master." Obi-Wan said sincerely. "Although," he added with a wry smile. "Sometimes I wonder if it's worth the trouble!"

Anakin laughed. The two walked out of the training room and headed to the cafeteria, all tension dissolved. _Now that we're home in the Temple, I'll train harder than ever. And then I will be ready for the Trials._


	2. Dreams and Contemplations

**A/N: **Thanks fo the review, ButterCowLuvr! Anyone else reading this fic - please do review, it makes me happy!  
This chapter is shorter, hope you enjoy!

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Chapter Two: Dreams and Contemplations**

_Tsena floated on the sea in a bubble, gazing up at the warm golden sun. She looked around and saw nothing but the blue of the ocean melting into the blue of the sky. Several serene minutes passed in silence, until she spotted Anakin floating towards her in a similar bubble. _

"_Anakin!" she called, waving. He smiled and began travelling faster. But when he had almost reached her, he began to sink, bubble and all. "Anakin!" she screamed again, and she could hear the fear and panic in her own voice. She couldn't lose him, not now, not like this. She plunged her hand through the surface of the bubbles and pulled him to safety – but as she did so, her own bubble burst and she began to sink slowly into the waves._

"_Tsena!" she heard Anakin cry desperately. Strangely calm, she reached up and managed to grasp his hand and lock eyes with him for a second that felt like eternity. Then she slipped down into the water with eyes filled with tears._

"_Emin talu raya" she heard a woman's gentle voice whisper. Then there was nothing but black._

Tsena awoke with a start, breathing heavily. She rolled over in her bed and looked at the wall that separated her from her Master. For a moment she contemplated waking Jovarii to tell her about her dream. She did not know what exactly unsettled her so much about it, but she knew that the dream meant something.

_No, I'd better not wake her,_ she thought, staring up at the ceiling. _I will tell her tomorrow, after I've had a chance to meditate on it._

Tsena's last thought as she drifted back to sleep was not of her Master, or her training, or even her dream. It was of the way Anakin had looked at her when he had left the meditation room earlier that day – the expression and smile on his face when he had told her that he had missed her. _I love the way he smiles at me,_ she thought, and then sleep claimed her.

* * *

"No, Mom! No!" Anakin cried, and sat up. He looked around, concentrating on calming down. _It was a dream,_ he told himself. _It was just a dream_. But no matter how many times he repeated it, he could not shake the feeling that it meant something more. He sighed and lay back down. His dreams – no, nightmares – about his mother seemed to be coming more frequently of late. He knew that Obi-Wan knew about these nightmares, although they never talked about them. He never brought it up, and he supposed his Master did not want to force him to explain.

Anakin shut his eyes again, trying to fall asleep – but it was no good. All he could see behind his eyelids were images from his nightmare.

_Focus on something soothing,_ he instructed himself. He pictured the beautiful planet of Naboo – the sparkling blues and lush greens of the water and forestry, the clean streets of the city, the palace. Padmé. He breathed deeply and thought of her long brown hair, her warm eyes, her brilliant smile. Strangely, her face in Anakin's mind shifted and changed into the face of Tsena. He briefly knitted his eyebrows together in confusion, but smiled when he recalled her unexpected attack during training. He could see dark wisps of her hair floating about her head, her eyes glowing with determination, her lips set in concentration. More images of her flitted across his mind – her straight back in meditation, laughing quietly, raising an eyebrow, her gentle smile. He always felt more peaceful when he was with her, and now it was as if her calming presence filled the room. He settled into sleep once more, Tsena's smiling face and gleaming blue and gold eyes soothing his fears of nightmares.

* * *

Jovarii couldn't sleep. She had been having these restless nights for five years now. She began thinking about the reason for her lack of sleep, and, as always, her thoughts turned to Obi-Wan. Obi-Wan, whom she had competed with constantly when they were children. Obi-Wan, who became Padawan to the man she had admired most as a Jedi Knight. Obi-Wan, who drove her insane sometimes with his constant calm. Obi-Wan, her friend, whom she had missed. Yes, she had missed him – though not, as she had told him, because she enjoyed arguing with him (_although it **is** a lot of fun,_ she thought). No – there was one simple reason why she missed Obi-Wan Kenobi every time he left on another mission.

Because she loved him.

She wanted to laugh and cry at the same time, the way she always felt when she thought of her feelings for him. The idea of her, Jovarii Amara, the sarcastic cynic, being in love was almost laughable. But at the same time, she wanted to cry.

_I'm in love with him, but he will never – must never – know. I love him, but I can never show him or tell him – I would be expelled from the Jedi Order._

She thought back five years ago to the day she had had her revelation. He had returned from a mission with Anakin. She had realised that she loved him just before he landed – and the knowledge was dizzying. So dizzying that she had let her emotional guards down and surprised both him and herself by giving him a hug when he came to say hello. Afterwards, she had sat by herself and concentrated on the tumult of emotions coursing through her. She had wanted to find him, kiss him and explain herself – but she thought about the risks and consequences, and decided never to show her feelings again.

She wished for the millionth time that she could just tell him how she felt. That he would feel the same about her. But even as she dreamt of this, she knew that it would only exist in her fantasies. She knew that becoming a Jedi had been the sole purpose for his life, that the Jedi Order was his motivation. The sole purpose for _her_ life had been – and still was – the same. She couldn't take that away from either of them. She sighed and punched her pillow. That was why she acted so critical, so sarcastic. She couldn't risk Obi-Wan – or anyone else, for that matter – guessing her true feelings for him.

The only place she could show her love was in her dreams. So she closed her eyes and pictured his serious face.

_I love you, Obi-Wan,_ she thought. _And even though you will never know, even though you'll never love me too – I'm content with loving you from a distance. I will love you in silence._

* * *

Obi-Wan lay awake in his room. He could hear Anakin's cries, and considered going to wake his Padawan. After a while, though, the cries ceased, and Obi-Wan felt through the Force that Anakin had fallen into calm slumber. He knew that Anakin had been having more of these nightmares lately, and he was worried about him. However, his Padawan never mentioned them and he did not wish to press him.

_Qui-Gon would have known what to say to Anakin,_ Obi-Wan thought. He allowed himself a moment of grief for his beloved Master. He remembered the way he felt when he returned to the Temple for the first time without Qui-Gon. Lost, hopeless, helpless. He had struggled with these emotions in silence, had pretended to be strong for Anakin's sake.

He remembered the look on Jovarii's face when he stepped onto the landing pad that day. The grief etched on her face was almost as deep as his own, yet there had been more. Compassion and understanding – he had seen it in her eyes. That was when, wordlessly, he knew they had become friends. In the days that followed Qui-Gon's death, she had treated him as normal and he had been incredibly grateful for that. She had managed to snap him out of his grief by making him laugh at her sarcastic comments.

His thoughts turned to a day five years ago – the only day he ever saw Jovarii display real affection towards him. He remembered the way she had bounded – actually _bounded_ – towards him and encircled him in her arms, the way she had stepped back quickly, blinking her grey eyes and rumpling her short brown hair, and smiled at him before turning abruptly and sweeping off into the Temple. He wondered, as he often did, why she had been so affectionate that day, and then never again. As always, he came to no conclusion.

He reached out with the Force to his Padawan. Sensing nothing unusual, he closed his eyes and prepared for sleep, wiping all thoughts from his mind. For some reason, it was difficult to clear Jovarii from his thoughts – but he was asleep before he could ponder why.

* * *

"I knew I'd find you here, Padawan," Tsena heard her Master say.

She opened her eyes and looked to where Jovarii stood just inside the meditation room. She gave a small smile. "I had a strange dream last night. I thought I would take a few hours to meditate on what it meant before we did anything else."

Jovarii knelt before her, a look of curiosity and even a little scepticism on her face.

"You are certain your dream had a meaning?"

"Yes, Master."

"What was it about?"

Tsena proceeded to explain her dream. "And then there was nothing but black," she finished.

Her Master's face was serious. "What did you discover from your meditation?"

Tsena blinked slowly. "Those last words – emin talu raya. They were the words my mother said to me when I left to begin my training."

Jovarii looked at her Padawan sharply. "You would have been a baby when you left – are you sure about this?"

"Yes." Tsena's voice was firm. "My first memory is of my mother whispering to me. This morning I remembered what those words were. It was revealed to me through the Force."

"Do you have any idea what they mean?" her Master asked.

She shook her head. "There is still much I don't understand."

Jovarii rose. "Don't concentrate on your anxieties of the future. In time it will be revealed. Trust the Force, Tsena."

"Yes, Master."

"Now come. We will continue your lightsaber training."

Tsena stood up reluctantly. "Again, Master? Will I have to fight against Master Yoda this time?" Her tone was more teasing than complaining.

Jovarii grinned at her. "Well, that's not a bad idea."

Laughing, they left the room, all thoughts of dreams driven to the back of their minds.


	3. Bonding

Thank you toCountess Jackman, trinabelle (you should have READ it first! but ok, whatever), and adelyte (thanked you already buttercowluvr) for your kind reviews! here is the third chapter for your enjoyment! also, apologies if my OCs are mary sue-ish, first fic after all.

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**Chapter Three: Bonding**

"Mmm, sunjee tarts," said Anakin as he and Tsena set their trays down on a table in the cafeteria. Their Masters sat with them a moment later, Obi-Wan informing Jovarii on the particulars of his and Anakin's mission on Ansion.

Anakin quickly demolished his lunch, then eyed Tsena's sunjee tart, sitting almost teasingly on her tray. She followed his gaze then shook her head slowly, a small smile playing at her lips.

"No, Anakin, you are not getting my dessert," she told him.

"We'll see about that," he replied with a mischievous smile. Before she could do anything to protect the pastry, he had used the Force to pull it into his grasp.

"Anakin!" she protested, laughing. She began throwing pieces of food at him. He easily caught them all in his free hand and dropped them onto his empty tray. Finally, he put her hands up in surrender, still holding the tart.

"Okay, okay! I give up. You can have it," he laughed. Just before he handed it over, he took a quick bite and grinned at her. She laughed again and shook her head, then looked down at her tray.

"Here – if you're still hungry you can eat some of mine," she offered, pushing her tray towards him. He smiled at her and they resumed eating.

Beside them, their Masters were conversing amiably – or as amiably as they could, considering Jovarii's delight in the sarcastic.

"You don't mean to say that you actually tried _reasoning_ with those ruffians?" she exclaimed, her face alive with amusement.

"Of course I did," Obi-Wan replied evenly. "And it was working quite well."

"Until?" Jovarii prompted.

Obi-Wan gave her a wry smile. "Until one of them attacked me with a vibroblade."

"See?" she said triumphantly. "Peaceful negotiations aren't always the answer."

"Obviously not where you are concerned, Jovarii," he stated dryly.

She grinned her wicked grin at him. "What can I say? I thrive on excitement."

He snorted and took a bite out of his pastry, leaving a large crumb in his beard.

Jovarii saw it and sniggered. "Kenobi, why can't you just keep clean?" she asked with mock dismay.

Puzzled, he frowned. "What?"

She rolled her eyes, then reached out and flicked the crumb from his beard. She pushed aside the tingling sensations that flowed through her fingers when she touched him. _Now is not the time,_ she silently berated herself.

"You, my friend, eat like a Dug," she said, smirking.

"Then you must eat like a Hutt," he shot back, a smirk of his own on his face.

She raised her eyebrows, impressed. "Well done, Kenobi. Excellent comeback," she congratulated him. "This is why an argument with you is better than one with Tsena – she just smiles at me!"

Obi-Wan glanced at Tsena and laughed. The girl was sharing her lunch with Anakin and listening seriously to the young man's chatter.

"She certainly is good-natured – and generous," Obi-Wan commented.

Jovarii looked proudly at her Padawan. "Yes, she is," she agreed. "Gentle too. So reluctant to harm anyone in any way."

* * *

"Anakin, come back here with that or I'll fry you in guntaab oil!" Tsena exclaimed, laughing, as she ran after him through the corridors of the Temple. He was in a particularly mischievous mood, and had dashed off with her lightsaber.

They raced down the corridors, Anakin weaving in and out of a group of children, and skirting narrowly around other Knights and Masters who watched him pass in surprise, amusement or disapproval. Tsena paused to breathlessly apologise to each person she passed, and by the time she had reached the training rooms, Anakin was far ahead of her. She saw him dart into one of the rooms. _Ha! No escape now, Anakin,_ she thought.

She dashed into the room and saw him grinning In the middle of the room, waving her lightsaber teasingly in front of him. She burst forward and tackled him to the ground, laughing all the way. They tumbled over and over, Anakin still holding the weapon out of reach. He managed to pin her down and grinned at her.

"That was an unusually bold and undignified move for you, Tsena," he teased as she squirmed and struggled to get free. "But now you're going to pay."

Her eyes widened. "You wouldn't."

Slowly, he nodded – and began tickling her mercilessly.

Tsena tried to fend him off and failed miserably. She laughed until tears ran down her cheeks. She could hardly remember the last time she'd had this much fun – so she allowed herself to shed her calm and give in to the joy that Anakin was bringing her.

* * *

Jovarii strode down the hall with Obi-Wan in pursuit of their Padawans. She had no problem with the two running off, but Obi-Wan had insisted they follow them. She reached the room before him, and peered in. When she peered in and saw the two young Jedi, she had to slap a hand over her mouth to stifle her laughter. She could see her usually dignified, composed and calm Padawan wriggling on the floor, laughing her head off with tears on her face, while playful Anakin tickled her. Jovarii had not seen Tsena this exuberant in months, and it made her laugh out loud.

Obi-Wan, on the other hand, had a different reaction. He came up behind Jovarii and looked in over her shoulder. She tensed slightly at his close proximity – his familiar scent was making her feel light-headed. He frowned when he saw the two friends. Jovarii could feel the disapproval radiating from him. He made a move to enter the training room, but she threw her arm out to stop him, catching him in the chest. He looked at her in surprise, his brow furrowed.

"Kenobi, let them have their fun," she advised him. "I know Tsena has been lonely and missing her friends, especially Anakin. I haven't seen her laugh that much in months. And I'm sure Anakin has been missing his friends too."

Obi-Wan glanced again at his Padawan, who had flopped on the floor next to Tsena and relinquished her lightsaber, now talking and chuckling with her quietly.

"You're right," he admitted with a small sigh. "He has been lonely."

"I'm always right," Jovarii declared, taking the Jedi by the arm and steering him back down the corridor. "So we are going to give them time to bond and enjoy each others' company."

"I suppose we could do the same," Obi-Wan suggested. "I have not really spent much time with you this past year."

"Oh yes, I'm sure that hearing about my wanderings around the Temple will be great enjoyment for you," she remarked sarcastically.

"Who mentioned enjoyment?" he quipped.

"As your punishment for such a comment, I have no choice but to force you to listen to me drone about the intricate architecture of the Archives," she informed him with a wicked smile.

The two of them continued their good-natured argument down the corridors.

The Temple was a place of reflection and seriousness – but for this week, to these two Master-Padawan teams, it was a place for bonding.

* * *

Anakin sat up and Tsena sat in front of him, between his legs. He took her wrists and used the Force to call some small metal spheres into her hands. He sent them spinning into the air, and used her hands to pretend to juggle them, looping them about. She laughed and relaxed her hands, allowing him to wave them around.

"Anakin?" she asked.

"Mmm?"

"Are you still dreaming about your mother?"

There was a pause. "Yes."

"They're getting worse, aren't they?" It was more of a statement than a question, and Anakin knew she already knew the answer, so he kept silent.

"It's okay, I understand," she said. He stopped juggling and let go of her wrists to take the levitating spheres out of the air. He sent them back across the room, and wrapped his arms around Tsena's waist. She leaned back and placed her hands over his. She knew that he was thinking about his mother, and that he needed comforting whenever he did so. He understood the gesture, and gently squeezed her in thanks.

They sat like that for a while, Anakin thinking about his mother and Tsena happy to just be there for him. After a while, she spoke again.

"Anakin?"

"Yes?"

"Don't ever steal my lightsaber again."

And the two of them burst into laughter.


	4. Feelings

**A/N: **Thanks for the reviews! keep them coming. CountessJackman, you're going to want to be Tsena even more in this chapter. hehe

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**Chapter Four: Feelings**

A week later, Anakin strolled into the training room where Tsena was undergoing lightsaber drills alone, her training helmet blocking her sight. He sat down and watched her.

"Hello, Anakin," she called as she deflected another bolt from the training remotes.

He smiled. **Hi Tsena. You're doing well.**

**Thanks,** came her reply. **Now please let me concentrate!**

Anakin chuckled slightly, then quieted. He watched as she spun gracefully around, her ebony tresses flying out behind her. He couldn't see her eyes behind the helmet, but he knew they would be focused, staring into nothing as she concentrated on moving with the Force.

_She's beautiful,_ he suddenly thought. _And not just physically. Everything about her is beautiful – her spirit, her soul, her nature, her heart. Everything._

He felt as if he was looking at her through a golden haze. Everything she did seemed to slow down. He focused inward, searching deep within his heart, his soul, until he found the truth.

He loved Tsena.

He loved her, and had been in love with her since before his last mission. It was because he loved her that he had missed her so much.

He leaned back against the wall, blinking incredulously. All those years of believing he was in love with Padmé – he could see now that it had been nothing more than an illusion he had created about the first person besides his mother to care for him and treat him as more than a little boy.

All those weeks of missing Tsena, and he had put it all down as homesickness for his dearest friend. He had shoved aside the truth then, but now it was blatantly clear.

He became vaguely aware that she had finished training and was removing her helmet. He had to tell her. That was all he knew. Never mind that Jedi were forbidden to love. Never mind that he might be thrown out of the Order. He loved her, she had to know – then maybe they could work it out together.

When Tsena sat beside Anakin, she could sense that something was wrong. "Are you all right, Anakin?" she asked, concerned.

"Tsena, I – I…" He couldn't continue. He turned to look at her, his face a strange mix of emotions.

Frightened, she covered his hand with her own. "Anakin? What's wrong?"

He stared at her hand, then slowly looked back up at her.

"What – " she started to say, but was cut off by his lips gently touching hers.

Everything inside her seemed to shut down for an instant. She closed her eyes and a dam burst in her mind, a hundred thoughts she had buried now flooding across her mind. In his kiss she found the reason for her connection with him. In his kiss she found the reason she missed him every time they separated. In his kiss she found the last hidden reason why she was filled with joy at his return. The reason she had shaken off before she had a chance to explore. Love. Love was the reason, and she understood in that instant that she had loved him as long as she had known him.

She had been falling in love with him more every day, yet she had suppressed the feeling before she could identify it. Now, as he kissed her, she felt it, recognized it, celebrated it, allowed it to wash over her. She loved him.

He broke from the kiss and looked deep into her eyes.

"I love you, Tsena. I know that it's against the Code, I know that I could be expelled from the Order. But I had to let you know." He searched her face for understanding, but her expression was unreadable.

"You love me," she repeated, her voice wondering, her eyes seeming to look beyond him. He gazed at her anxiously, willing her to understand. Slowly, her gaze focused on him and she gave him a wobbly smile. She reached up and gently touched his cheek with shaking fingers.

"I love you too," she whispered.

His eyes widened in amazement. "You do?" he asked her, gripping her hand, which had not left his.

Tsena nodded. "As long as I've known you," she said simply. She hesitated. "We could be expelled from the Order. To love is forbidden."

"No," he took both of her hands in his. "Attachment is forbidden. Possession is forbidden. But we are taught to always be compassionate – and I define it as unconditional love. That's what my love is for you, Tsena. Unconditional."

Her eyes were bright with unshed tears. "I don't want you to stop being a Jedi because of me. And I'm afraid that if something happens to me, you will lose faith in the Jedi."

He shook his head emphatically. "I promise you that will never happen," he said, looking deep into her eyes.

He bent and kissed her again, and she gave herself up to it, gave in to his love for her and hers for him. Nothing mattered but Anakin.

* * *

"Obi-Wan!" Mace Windu called. "Jovarii!"

Obi-Wan and Jovarii turned and bowed to the tall Master. They had been on their way to the training rooms to find their Padawans.

"Obi-Wan, the Chancellor has requested that Senator Amidala be placed under your protection. An attempt on her life was made earlier today," Mace said calmly.

"Of course," Obi-Wan replied, glancing at Jovarii.

"You and Anakin are to report to the Senator immediately."

"Does she have any idea who was behind the attack?"

"She believes that Count Dooku and the Separatists were behind it."

Obi-Wan was astonished. "Surely not Dooku – he was a Jedi."

"Nevertheless, she is convinced that Separatists orchestrated the attempt, which brings me to you, Jovarii." Mace turned to her. Jovarii stood straighter. "Senator Amidala has expressed a wish to discover the identity of her attacker. You and Tsena will go with Obi-Wan and Anakin to assist in protecting the Senator and to find out as much as you can about the assassin. However, you and your Padawan will stay downstairs as Senator Amidala does not believe that the situation is serious enough for two teams of Jedi."

"Very well, Master Windu," Jovarii nodded.

"May the Force be with you," Mace said, and left them.

"Finally!" Jovarii grinned. "Something to do."

Obi-Wan laughed, and the sound filled her heart and mind with light.

* * *

Anakin stared at his Master's back as he followed him towards the Senate apartment complex. He felt somewhat apprehensive about this latest assignment. He glanced at Tsena beside him and found her looking at him, love and concern shining in her blue and gold eyes.

**What's the matter, Anakin?**

**I'm worried about this mission, Tsena.**

**Worried? Why? You've been on countless missions more dangerous than protecting a Senator.**

Anakin shut his eyes briefly. **It's not my duty I'm worried about, it's who I'm protecting.**

**Oh. **

He looked at her quickly. **Tsena?**

There was silence for a moment, then – **Do you love her?**

**What? No, I don't. **

They stopped walking, and as their Masters moved off to speak with some of the security personnel, Anakin took Tsena's elbow and drew her into a corner.

He looked at her carefully. Her face was not accusing, and he sensed no trace of jealousy.

"When I met her I thought I loved her and acted accordingly until I realised that it was all and illusion I'd created," he told her quietly. "I'm worried because she had noticed my behaviour towards her, and she'd almost…encouraged it. I don't want that to happen now, not when I have you."

She nodded and smiled at him. He lifted a hand and touched her cheek, as gentle and sincere a touch as a kiss. She knew it was his way of telling her he loved her without anyone hearing.

"Go – Obi-Wan has finished talking to the security." She gave him a soft push towards his Master. "Be careful," she added quietly.

He nodded and walked off with Obi-Wan, turning back just once to wave to the girl her loved.

_

* * *

What if the illusion comes back, and I think I love Padmé again? I don't want to think that. I love Tsena too much to hurt her. And what if Padmé has feelings for me? It had seemed like she did ten years ago. I just wish there were a way to finish off this assignment faster._

Even Anakin's thoughts were jittery.

"You seem a little on edge, Anakin," Obi-Wan observed as the turbolift climbed its way to the floor of Padmé's apartment.

"Not at all," he replied, sounding as unconvinced as he felt.

"I haven't seen you this nervous since we fell into that nest of gundaarks."

"You fell into that nightmare, Master, and I rescued you. Remember?"

They laughed and Anakin felt grateful for the distraction his Master had provided. However, it was not enough of a distraction, and he soon returned to his nervous state.

"You're sweating. Take a deep breath. Relax," Obi-Wan instructed.

"I haven't seen her in ten years," Anakin said. _Hopefully ten years is enough for her to have forgotten me and any feelings she might have had towards me._

"Anakin, relax. She's not the Queen anymore," Obi-Wan told him as the lift doors opened and he stepped away.

"That's not why I'm nervous," Anakin muttered, following behind his Master.

They were excitedly greeted by Jar Jar Binks, the Gungan they were friends with from the blockade conflict on Naboo. He took them through to the room where Padmé, her handmaiden Dormé and her head of security, Captain Typho, were standing. Anakin noticed none of them, his thoughts on Tsena.

"Lookie, lookie, Senator! Desa Jedi arriven," Jar Jar announced.

"It's a pleasure to see you again, m'Lady," Obi-Wan said, ever the gentleman.

"It has been far too long, Master Kenobi. I'm so glad our paths have crossed again." Padmé smiled. She paused for a second. "But I must warn you that I think your presence here is unnecessary."

"I'm sure the Jedi Council has their reasons," Obi-Wan replied simply.

She moved to stand in front of Anakin, who snapped out of his thoughts reluctantly. She looked curiously at him for a moment.

_Maybe she doesn't remember, _he thought hopefully.

"Ani?" she said incredulously.

_Or maybe she does._

"M'Lady," he said with a deep nod.

"My goodness, you've grown."

He gave a short laugh. "After ten years, I should hope so," he joked.

Padmé laughed and shook her head. "Oh, Ani, you'll always be that little boy I knew on Tatooine."

_No chance of her feeling anything for me if she thinks of me as a little boy,_ Anakin thought in relief. _So there's no problem. Good._

"Our presence will be invisible, M'Lady, I assure you," Obi-Wan said to her.

"I'm very grateful you're here, Master Kenobi," Captain Typho spoke up. "The situation is more dangerous than the Senator will admit."

Padmé wore a slightly disapproving look. "I don't need more security," she said. "I need answers. I want to know who is trying to kill me."

"Anakin and I are here only to protect you, Senator," Obi-Wan was calm.

"Two other Jedi – friends of ours – are downstairs in case an investigation is necessary."

She nodded, satisfied. "Very well. Perhaps with merely your presence, the mysteries surrounding this threat will be revealed."

_The sooner the mysteries are unravelled, the sooner I'll feel comfortable. And the sooner Tsena and I can be together in the Temple,_ Anakin couldn't help thinking.

"Now, if you will excuse me, I will retire." Padmé left the room with Dormé.

Captain Typho stepped closer to the Jedi. "Well, I know that I'm glad to have you here," he said. "I don't know what's going on here, but the Senator can't have too much security right now. Your friends on the Jedi Council seem to think that miners have something to do with this, but I can't really agree with that."

"What have you learned?" Anakin asked him automatically.

Obi-Wan looked at him sharply, disapproval on his face. **It's not our job to find the killer – we will not exceed our mandate, my young apprentice.**

"We'll be better prepared to protect the Senator if we have some idea of what we're up against," Anakin explained logically. He had no idea why Obi-Wan would have thought he had meant otherwise.

"Not much," Typho replied. "Senator Amidala leads the opposition to the creation of a Republic army. She's very determined to deal with the Separatists through negotiation and not force, but the attempts on her life, even though they've failed, have only strengthened the opposition to her viewpoint in the Senate."

"And since the Separatists would not logically wish to see a Republic army formed…" Obi-Wan trailed off.

Typho shrugged. "We're left without a clue. In any such incident, the first questioning eyes turn toward Count Dooku and the Separatists." Catching Obi-Wan's frown, he hurriedly added, "Or to some of those loyal to his movement, at least. But why they'd go after Senator Amidala is anyone's guess."

"And we are not here to guess, but merely to protect," Obi-Wan's voice was firm.

"I'll have an officer on every floor, and I'll be at the command centre downstairs." Typho bowed and left.

Anakin was lost in his thoughts again. "She didn't even recognize me," he murmured, feeling almost relieved at the fact.

"You're focusing on the negative again," his Master said sharply, misunderstanding his comment. "Be mindful of your thoughts. She was pleased to see us – leave it at that. Now, let's check the security here. We have much to do."

Anakin didn't bother to correct him. He didn't want to explain the whole situation and risk his and Tsena's futures in the Jedi Order.

"Yes, Master," he said with a bow. He followed Obi-Wan out of the room, setting aside his tumbling thoughts to focus on the task at hand. He had a job to do.

* * *

As she sat brushing her hair, Padmé stared into the mirror without seeing her reflection. All she could see was the tall, handsome young Jedi who was now her protector.

_Anakin…_

She had thought about him often after their parting on Naboo. They had shared a connection of some kind, one that was impossible to forget. Yes, he had only been a boy at the time, but he had looked at her then in a way nobody had looked at her before. She closed her eyes, remembering his intense gaze.

She hadn't recognized him at first. But when she'd realized it was him, she'd had to fight to keep composed and indifferent.

She felt a stab of regret for her comment about him being a little boy – he certainly wasn't one now. He was a young man, and one she felt strongly about at that.

She stood and moved to the door – she had an idea she wished to share with Anakin to discover the identity of her assassin. And it was the perfect excuse to speak with him again, this young man who had stolen her heart.


	5. Don't Worry

A/N: It's my birthday today, so I decided to double-post for you all. I got a terrible mark for one of my assignments though, so please review and make me feel better

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**Chapter Five: Don't Worry**

While her Padawan sat quietly meditating, Jovarii paced back and forth, feeling tense and jittery. Somewhere above her, Obi-Wan was walking around. She could sense him. Knowing that she was working with him and thus was being depended on by him (to an extent) was enough to make her nervous. Just being around him shook her, though she concealed it when he was with her. Now however, he was not around, and she was fairly positive he wasn't concentrating on sensing her emotions, being the dutiful Jedi he was. So she allowed herself to show her tension. After all, nobody was around to see, except –

"Master, is everything all right?" Tsena inquired, her eyes still closed.

Jovarii stopped pacing and looked at her. "Of course, Padawan. I'm fine," she lied convincingly.

"I'm sensing a large amount of tension from you. I know this is our first mission in three months, but there is no need to be worried. It seems fairly straightforward. What do you have to be anxious about?"

Jovarii raised her eyebrows. She was suddenly glad she kept a mental shield up nearly all the time. Her Padawan was very perceptive. It would be terrible if she discovered her true feelings for Obi-Wan. _And it would be worse if Obi-Wan himself found out,_ she thought. He was so dedicated to the Jedi Order that picturing his reaction was not difficult. _He'd be shocked, appalled and dismayed._

"Master?" Tsena prompted, opening her eyes and looking curiously at her.

"Nothing," Jovarii quickly replied. "You're right. I have nothing to be anxious about." She paused and looked at the ceiling. "Let's go check the security on the floors below the Senator's apartment.

Tsena nodded and followed her into the turbolift.

_That way I'll be closer to Obi-Wan and I'll have something to keep me occupied._ Jovarii watched the doors slide shut.

_Kill two birds with one stone._

* * *

Anakin could sense someone coming. He whirled around with lightsaber in hand as the door opened, then smiled and replaced it in his belt when Obi-Wan walked in. 

"Captain Typho has more than enough guards downstairs, as well as Jovarii and Tsena," Obi-Wan said. "No assassin will try that way. Any activity up here?"

"Quiet as a tomb," Anakin replied. He gave a small sigh. "I don't like just waiting here for something to happen."

Obi-Wan gave an understanding, though slightly exasperated, nod, and drew a viewscreen from his belt. His surprise and concern were obvious on his tensed face – all he could see was the door and R2-D2, but not the Senator herself.

"She covered the cam," Anakin explained. "She programmed R2 to warn us if there's a intruder."

Obi-Wan frowned. "It's not merely an intruder I'm worried about. There are many other ways to kill a Senator."

"I know," Anakin agreed, then voiced his own opinion. "But we also want to catch this assassin, don't we, Master?"

His Master's eyes widened in disbelief. "You're using her as bait?" His tone was clearly shocked.

"It was her idea," Anakin protested. He wasn't the one to blame, for once. "Don't worry. She won't come to harm. I can sense everything in that room. Trust me." If he caught the assassin with Obi-Wan, Tsena would not be put in danger. That sense of responsibility heightened his sense of the Force.

"It's too risky," Obi-Wan growled. "And your sense aren't that attuned, my young apprentice."

"And yours are?" Anakin asked in a tone more suggestive than defensive.

Obi-Wan gave him a sideways glance. "Possibly," he said. They were silent for a moment. "You look tired," he observed.

"I don't sleep well anymore," Anakin said frankly.

"Because of your mother?" Obi-Wan questioned, already knowing the answer.

Anakin nodded, frustrated. "I don't know why I keep dreaming about her now. I haven't seen her since I was little."

"Your love for her was, and remains, deep," Obi-Wan replied. "That is hardly reason for despair."

"But these are more than…" Anakin broke off and sighed. "Are they dreams or visions? Are "they images of the past, or do they tell of something that is yet to be?"

"Or are they just dreams?" Obi-Wan challenged him gently. "Not every dream is a premonition, some vision or some mystical connection. Some dreams are just dreams, and even Jedi have dreams, young Padawan."

Anakin didn't look as if he agreed.

"Dreams pass in time," Obi-Wan told him.

_Well, these ones have become more frequent. Although some dreams do fade with time,_ Anakin thought. He nodded.

"I used to dream of Padmé," he admitted. "Thos dreams were more…pleasant." _Only they pale in comparison to the dreams I've had about Tsena. She makes my entire life more pleasant._ A small smile spread across his face as he thought of her.

Misreading his expression, Obi-Wan said sharply, "Be mindful of your thoughts, Anakin. They betray you. You've made a commitment to the Jedi Order – a commitment not easily broken."

Anakin glanced at his Master quickly.

"And don't forget, she's a politician," Obi-Wan continued. "They're not to be trusted."

_Padmé's not just another politician. She doesn't lie or cheat. She's essentially good, and she works for the good of her people,_ Anakin thought.

"She's not like the others in the Senate, Master," he said.

Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow. "It's been my experience that Senators focus only on pleasing those who fund their campaigns, and they are more than willing to forget the niceties of democracy to get those funds."

Anakin groaned. "Not another lecture, Master." Politics and economics were not subjects of interest to him, and Obi-Wan could go on for hours about them. "Besides, you're generalizing. The Chancellor doesn't seem to be corrupt."

"Palpatine is a politician," Obi-Wan countered. "I've observed that he is very clever at following the passions and prejudices of the Senators."

"I think he is a good man," Anakin was firm. "My instincts are very positive about…" He trailed off, overwhelmed by the feeling of danger suddenly coming from Padmé's room.

"I sense it, too," Obi-Wan said, and they exploded into the room.

* * *

"Master, really – what is wrong?" Tsena persisted as they walked out into the floor directly below Padmé's apartment. 

Jovarii sighed. "You aren't going to let this go, are you, Padawan?" she asked, turning to face her.

Tsena shook her head and looked at her pointedly.

"Fine." Jovarii's face changed, and she looked troubled. "I'm concerned about Obi-Wan…and Anakin," she remembered to add.

Tsena looked curiously at her Master. "Why?" she asked, tilting her head to one side.

"I feel that they are in more danger than they think they are," Jovarii answered matter-of-factly.

Her apprentice nodded understandingly. "I know – I feel that way too."

Surprised, Jovarii opened her mouth to speak, but was stopped by the disturbance in the Force she felt form upstairs.

"Do you sense that?" she asked her Padawan, staring upwards.

Tsena nodded, and they darted into the turbolift. Jovarii impatiently hit the button and drew her lightsaber hilt from her belt.

_Obi-Wan, if you're injured or in trouble when I get up there…_

The doors slipped open and the two women charged into Padmé's bedroom. They burst in just in time to see Anakin slicing through two poisonous kouhuns on the Senator's pillow, and Obi-Wan leaping through the blinds, grabbing hold of a retreating assassin droid.

"Stay here!" Anakin barked at Padmé as Captain Typho, Dormé and two guards rushed in. "See to her!" he instructed them, then he charged out the door. He paused when he saw Tsena, and they locked eyes for a moment, then he was gone, presumably to find a speeder to follow his Master.

Jovarii stared grimly as she watched Obi-Wan swinging from the bucking droid. _Obi, you idiot. I'm going to kill you._ She whirled around and headed for the lift, planning to go to the docking bay to wait for his and Anakin's return.

She paused and glanced back, and saw the droid send electric shocks to Obi-Wan's hands. She winced and hurried on, Tsena following behind.

_That is, if you don't get yourself killed first._


	6. Assassin

**Chapter Six: Assassin**

_This definitely was not one of my best ideas, _Obi-Wan thought as he clung to the droid. It was certainly well programmed – in order to shake him off, it sent stinging electric shocks over its surface. He almost lost his grip. _Yes,_ he thought grimly. _Not the best idea I've ever had._ He reached into the back of the droid and pulled out a wire. He sighed in relief as the shocks subsided – then immediately panicked when the droid began dropping like a stone.

"Not good, not good!"

Obi-Wan managed to reconnect the wire, and the droid took off again, trying to lose the Jedi clinging to it. It manoeuvred its way towards a yellow speeder. Obi-Wan saw a figure leaning against the speeder pull out a laser rifle at his approach.

"I have a bad feeling about this," he muttered, and his feeling was not unreasonable – seconds later, shots exploded about him.

_Well, that's definitely the assassin,_ he thought – then a shot hit the droid and it exploded, and Obi-Wan was thrown up into the air before plummeting hundreds of stories.

Then a speeder swooped in under him, and he grabbed the back end, struggling his way to the passenger seat.

"I almost lost you there," his Padawan said from the driver's seat.

"What took you so long?" Obi-Wan asked.

"Oh, you know, master, I couldn't find a speeder I really liked," Anakin said casually with a cocky smile. "One with an open cockpit, and the right speed capabilities. And then, you know, I had to hold out for just the right colour."

He pulled the speeder up and followed the yellow one the assassin had been leaning against.

"If you'd spend as much time working on your saber skills as you do on your wit, young Padawan, you would rival master Yoda as a swordsman," Obi-wan remarked as Anakin dodged in and out of traffic, trying to evade the bounty hunter who was firing a blaster pistol at them.

"I thought I already did."

"Only in your mind, my very young Padawan," Obi-wan shot back. He clutched the sides of the speeder as Anakin dived down, narrowly avoiding collision with several other speeders. "Careful! Hey, easy! You know I don't like it when you do that!"

"Sorry, I forgot you don't like flying, master!" he said distractedly as he pulled out of the dive and shot after the assassin.

"I don't mind flying, but what you're doing is suicide!" Obi-Wan retorted.

"I've been flying since before I could walk. I'm very good at this," Anakin boasted confidently.

"Just slow down!" his Master ordered weakly.

Anakin paid no heed to the instruction and followed the assassin's every move at breakneck speed.

The chase went on, each pilot trying to out-manoeuvre the other, dodging into convoys, speeding in and out of tunnels and zipping through impossibly sharp turns and narrow gaps.

_This bounty hunter is almost as good a pilot as me,_ Anakin thought.

But then the yellow speeder disappeared to the left. Anakin turned to the right – he had an idea.

"Where are you going? He went down there, the other way." Obi-Wan was clearly annoyed.

His Padawan glanced at him. "Master, if we keep this chase going, that creep is going to end up deep-fried. Personally, I'd very much like to find out who he is and who he's working for. This is a shortcut." He hesitated. "I think."

"What do you mean, you _think_?" Obi-Wan demanded. Anakin didn't respond.

"Well, you lost him," Obi-Wan sighed.

"I'm deeply sorry, master," Anakin replied automatically. He began counting under his breath.

"Some shortcut!" Obi-wan scolded. "He went completely the other way. Anakin –"

"Excuse me for a moment," Anakin interrupted, and stood and leaped over the side of the speeder into the air.

_

* * *

Impeccable timing, Anakin congratulated himself as he landed on the assassin's speeder. The pilot accelerated, and Anakin slid backwards, trying to claw his way up the speeder. The speeder halted abruptly, and Anakin slipped forwards, just managing to grab onto one of the speeder's twin forks in time. The pilot began to fire at him as he slowly crawled up to the roof. Anakin pulled out his lightsaber, and began to melt a hole in the roof. A blaster shot knocked his blade out of his hand, nearly taking off his hand._

_Obi-Wan's not going to let that one go,_ he thought gloomily.

He plunged his hand through the hole in the roof and used the Force to yank the pistol from the assassin's hand to his own. Distracted, the pilot looked up, and Anakin was surprised to see a woman's eyes. Her loss in concentration caused her face to change – _She's not human,_ Anakin realised. _She's a Clawdite!_ His grip on the blaster slipped, and it shot a hole in the floor of the speeder.

The craft spun out of control towards the street, the Clawdite bounty hunter desperately trying to regain control and Anakin hanging on for dear life. At the last minute, the assassin managed to pull the nose up just enough for the speeder to skim across the ground, emitting sparks and scattering pedestrians. Anakin flew over the speeder and managed to land on his feet in the street. He looked up in time to see the bounty hunter jump out and race away.

He hurried to follow her, pushing people and droids out of the way. Just before he reached her, she ducked into a nightclub. When he reached the door, a familiar-looking speeder with an even more familiar pilot dropped down. Obi-Wan stepped out, Anakin's lightsaber in hand.

"Anakin!" he said.

Anakin tried to distract him. "She went into that club, Master."

"Patience," Obi-Wan said to his Padawan. "Use the Force, Anakin. Think."

"Sorry, Master," was Anakin's automatic response. _Think? The assassin is escaping, surely that's clear!_

"He went in there to hide, not run," Obi-Wan sighed.

_Of course. How obvious._ "Yes Master," Anakin agreed, a little embarrassed.

His Master held out the lightsaber. "Here. Next time, try not to lose it."

_Can't put the lecture off forever,_ Anakin thought as he nodded and reached for his weapon.

Obi-Wan pulled it back. "A Jedi's saber is his most precious possession."

"Yes, Master." He reached for it again, but Obi-Wan pulled it back again.

"He must keep it with him at all times," Obi-Wan lectured.

"I _know_, master," Anakin said, exasperation creeping into his voice.

"This weapon is your life."

This time, Anakin's frustration was obvious. "I've heard this lesson before."

"But you haven't learned anything, Anakin," obi-Wan countered. He held out the lightsaber and Anakin took it.

"I try, Master." Anakin was sincere.

Obi-Wan turned to the nightclub. "Why do I think you are going to be the death of me?" he asked blandly.

"Don't say that, Master. You're the closest thing I have to a father. I love you. I don't want to cause you pain," Anakin said emphatically. He meant every word.

Obi-Wan looked at him and asked, "Then why don't you listen to me?"

"I _am_ trying."

Obi-wan had to admit this was true. He paused and looked around the club.

"Do you see him?" he questioned his apprentice.

"I think he's a she, and I think she's a changeling," Anakin corrected him, also looking around the room.

"Then be extra careful," obi-wan cautioned him with a smirk. "Go and find her."

"But – but where are you going, Master?" Anakin said in surprise, watching as Obi-Wan moved away.

"To get a drink," he informed the young man over his shoulder.

Anakin blinked, then turned and began to search the faces staring at him.

* * *

"Wanna buy some death sticks?" a voice came from Obi-Wan's right at the bar.

"Nobody's got better death sticks than Elan Sleazebaggano," the speaker continued with a smile to match his name.

"You don't want to sell me death sticks." Obi-Wan waved his hand, using the Force.

"I don't want to sell you death sticks," Elan agreed.

Obi-Wan waved his hand again. "You want to go home and rethink your life."

"I want to go home and rethink my life," Elan stood and walked away.

Anakin kept working the crowd, scanning each face. He could feel something was not right, a feeling that some evil, some menace, was hanging about the room. Suddenly, he sensed the evil condensing to a single spot, he sensed the blaster being raised…

He whirled around just as Obi-Wan spun to see his Master igniting his lightsaber and gutting a graceful arc, slicing off the assassin's arm at the elbow. _He set himself up as bait!_ Anakin thought, feeling a little shaken. He pushed his way over to his Master. The crowd was frightened and angry – he could sense it clearly.

"Easy," he told the patrons, bringing the Force into his voice. "Official business. Go back to your drinks."

The two Jedi carried the assassin out to the street as the club complied with Anakin's words.

"Do you know who it was you were trying to kill?" Obi-Wan asked her.

"The Senator from Naboo," she answered matter-of-factly.

"Who hired you?"

She glared at obi-Wan. "It was just a job. And the next one won't make the same mistake I did."

_We need answers!_ Anakin thought. "Tell us!" he demanded, inserting the weight of the Force in his words. "Tell us now!"

"It was a bounty hunter called –" She never finished. She twitched and simply died, her feature changing back to her true Clawdite form. The two Jedi looked up and saw an armoured man with a jet pack fly up and disappear into the night.

Obi-Wan turned to the dead assassin and took something from her neck.

"Toxic dart," he confirmed, showing it to Anakin.

_So much for answers,_ Anakin thought, sighing. _We foiled one attack only to find out that another unknown killer is hiring more people to kill Padmé. And who knows – another assassin could have hired the bounty hunter. It could be a never-ending chain of killers._


	7. Confessions

A/N: Another chappie for YOOOOOU...hope you like it. I might not be posting so much now because all my assignments/exams etc. are coming up, and I get home at about 10:30 because of the musical. But I'll update whenever possible.  
Only SIX days until RotS comes out!

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**Chapter Seven: Confessions**

"Obi-Wan Kenobi!" an angry voice rang out.

Obi-Wan stepped out of the speeder onto the docking bay of the Senate apartment building and watched an incensed Jovarii stalk up to him, her apprentice hurrying along behind her.

"What were you _thinking_?" Jovarii exploded when she reached him.

Beside him, Anakin exchanged glances with Tsena.

"Master, Anakin and I will go upstairs to check on the Senator," Tsena said, jerking her head in the direction of Padmé's apartment. Jovarii nodded impatiently and waved the Padawans away, turning her full focus to Obi-Wan.

He raised an eyebrow. "I was thinking that the droid was a clue as to who the assassin might be."

"Who the assassin is? It was my job to discover the identity of the assassin, not yours! You were requested to protect the Senator, not investigate!" she snapped.

"Jovarii, calm down. I was closest to the window, and the first one in the room. If you had been in my position, I would have let you go after the droid yourself," Obi-Wan replied calmly, though slightly bewildered at her extreme reaction. "Why are you so upset?"

"You could have _died_!" she blazed, glaring at him. She'd almost had a heart attack when she saw him leap out the window. "You could have been smashed into a building! You could have lost your grip and plummeted to certain mortality!"

"Why are you taking such a sudden interest in my safety?" He was taken aback by his usually in-control friend exploding into a panicked mess.

She stared at him in disbelief, as if she could not comprehend what he was saying.

"Why? _Why?_" All of her pent-up emotions bubbled within her until she could no longer see reason. Her worry anger and love blinded her to consequence. "_This_ is why, you idiot!"

And she pulled his head towards her and kissed him.

Obi-Wan was stunned. Shell-shocked. He couldn't move. And he found, to his amazement, that he was enjoying the sensation of her lips against his, this closeness to a woman he rarely understood. This woman he had known more than half his life. This beautiful, fiery woman he…

Jovarii broke from the kiss and rested her forehead against his, her hand still on the back of his neck, her whole body tingling.

"See?" she whispered, her eyes staring vulnerably into his. "That's why." **I love you.**

For a moment he stood there, frozen. Then his thoughts cleared and he freed himself from her, shaking his head.

"To love is forbidden," he said.

"You think I don't know that?" she retorted, tears forming in her eyes. She was shaken, shocked at herself for daring to express herself in such a way. And yet, even though she knew it was wrong, part of her wanted desperately to throw aside the rules and just love him.

He looked at her, his face solemn. "We can't do this. We can't be in love. It's not possible."

She opened her mouth to argue, then closed it as his words sank in.

"We?" she whispered incredulously, stepping closer. "You…you feel the same way?"

She searched his face, eyes wide. He looked away. That was all the answer she needed.

"Then why shouldn't we love each other? What is so wrong with it?" she asked him emotionally, the romantic, irrational part of her taking over. "No-one needs to know."

Obi-Wan shook his head. "We have a duty to the Jedi. The Code forbids it."

She looked down, searching her mind for some reason that might change his opinion. She took a deep breath.

"What about Qui-Gon and Tahl?" She looked back up at him, and saw surprise and a trace of pain in his eyes at the mention of his old Master. "They loved each other. They accepted it, and were happy together. They were in love, but they didn't violate the Code or give up the Jedi. That could be us, Obi-Wan." She was almost pleading.

"And what about when Tahl died?" he said quietly, his calm expression giving way to pain. "Qui-Gon almost turned to the Dark Side, he was so consumed by anger. I couldn't let that happen to you, Jovarii. And I couldn't give up the Order."

Tears spilled from her eyes. She knew he was right – she had thought about the same thing. She just didn't want to admit it, and finally extinguish her faint hope of being with Obi-Wan.

He reached out and touched her cheek, wiping her tears away. She squeezed her eyes shut, wishing desperately that he would change his mind and let them be together. When she opened her eyes, she was astonished to see that there were tears in his eyes too.

"I wish there were another way, but there isn't," he whispered simply, then gathered her close. She wept silently into his robes, crying for the dream she had held for a few brief moments, now shattered.

"I don't' want to lose you, I love you too much. I can't lose you!" she half-sobbed, angry with herself for letting down her shields and allowing herself to be so vulnerable.

He pushed her away gently and placed his hands on her shoulders, looking deep into her misty grey eyes.

"You will never lose me. I will always care for you," _and love you,_ he added silently. "But we – us – can never be."

Slowly she nodded, her tears finally stilled. She had caught the words Obi-Wan had not spoken. She understood – but it didn't make it hurt any less.

He bent and gently kissed her, savouring the moment he knew would probably never happen again. Then he turned and slowly walked away, blinking quickly to suppress the tears stinging his eyes.

Jovarii watched him go, feeling oddly both sad and content. Their commitment to the Jedi Order forbade a relationship from being born. But she knew he loved her, and she loved him. That would have to be enough.

* * *

Anakin could sense that Tsena was troubled. 

"Tsena, what's wrong?" he asked as they reached the turbolift doors.

She pressed the button, then turned to him. She looked into his blue eyes, her own shining with tears.

"I was worried about you," she confessed, her voice hardly above a whisper.

"Why?" he asked, puzzled. "You know I'm brilliant, I didn't come to any harm," he added with his usual cocky grin.

She gave a small smile, but sobered up quickly. "That's not it. I have perfect confidence in your abilities," she told him as the lift doors slid open and they stepped inside. Nobody else was inside, so she felt comfortable enough to confide in him. "I've just been having these awful…" she trailed off.

"Dreams?" Anakin supplied gently.

She nodded and shuddered slightly as she remembered her dream.

"I see you in danger, and I'm only just able to save you." She decided to omit the fact that she herself died to save him. _No need to make him worry as well._ "That's why I was worried. I don't think my dream was just a dream, and when you took off after Obi-Wan, I wasn't with you. I couldn't have helped you if you needed me."

"Tsena," Anakin said, pulling her close and wrapping his arms around her. "You don't have to worry about me. You can't be with me on every mission. And I'll always be fine – we've both handled dangerous situations alone before."

"You're right," she sighed. She looked up at him and smiled. "How do you always know what to say?"

"What can I say? I have a gift," Anakin grinned.

She laughed, and he tilted her chin up.

"Of course, sometimes words aren't necessary…" Anakin murmured and touched his lips to hers.

A moment later, the turbolift doors slid open and the two broke apart. They smiled at each other for a second, then walked into the apartment, stepping apart to feign indifference. It was time to hide their feelings and do their duty.


	8. Vision

A/N: Chapter 8! I'm a little tired from the musical, butI just had chocolate, so here's another chapter for you! AotC is going to be on TV (where I live, anyway) on Sunday, so I'm extremely excited about that. And on Thursday - Revenge of the Sith!  
Anyway, enjoy the chapter

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**Chapter Eight: Vision**

Obi-Wan stood in the Jedi Council chamber with Anakin, Jovarii and Tsena, tightening his mental shields. He did not want to risk the Council members discovering what had happened between him and Jovarii. He glanced briefly at her. Her face was impassive, and he knew that she, too, had shielded her mind.

He turned back to the Council, who were passing the dart taken from the assassin around gravely.

"Obi-Wan, Jovarii. Track down this bounty hunter you must," Master Yoda said.

"Most importantly, find out who he's working for," Mace Windu added.

"What about Senator Amidala?" Obi-Wan asked. "She will still need protecting."

Yoda looked at Anakin and Tsena. "Handle that, your Padawans will," he said.

* * *

Tsena tried to pay attention to the information Yoda was discussing with Anakin about their assignment, but she was finding difficulties. Her breathing was becoming laboured, coming in short gasps. She began sweating and trembling.

_What's wrong with me? I was fine a few minutes ago,_ she thought hazily.

She shut her eyes, trying to centre herself. Suddenly, she was hit by several sensations at once.

She was immersed in the ocean, and could see nothing but a golden glare. Then she could smell, hear, feel…

The acrid smell of blood and burning metal…

The sound of lightsabers clashing…

The pain of hundreds of creatures…

_Emin talu raya…_

Tsena fell to her knees, struggling to open her eyes.

"Tsena! Tsena, what's wrong?"

Her Master's cries seemed to come to her in slow motion, as if the words were trying to push through thick syrup.

She opened her eyes, but could only see shady blurs, all seeming to come towards her.

She was dimly aware that Anakin was scooping her up and carrying her out of the Council chamber. Then she lost consciousness, and fell into black.

* * *

Tsena opened her eyes and blinked. She looked around. She was lying in a bed in the Temple's medcentre. She furrowed her brow in confusion.

"How did I get here?" she asked aloud.

"You lost consciousness in the Council chamber. Anakin carried you here," came the voice of Jovarii.

Tsena turned to see her Master tilted back in her chair with her feet propped up on the bed, the concern in her eyes betraying her apparently casual posture. She put her feet down and drew her chair closer to the bed.

"What happened, Padawan?" she asked.

Tsena looked away, remembering.

"I'm not sure," she said slowly. "One minute I was fine, and the next I was shaking and sweating. I closed my eyes and I was hit by a vision." She shook her head. "No, not a vision," she corrected herself. "I could hear, smell and feel things as well as see them." She looked back at Jovarii. "I was in the sea, and there was a golden light before my eyes. And then I could smell blood and metal burning, could hear lightsabers clashing…" she trailed off, her eyes wide. "I could feel pain," she whispered. "I could feel the pain of hundreds of creatures, all dying."

Her Master looked shocked and worried.

"Was there anything else?"

Tsena nodded. "I heard my mother's voice. She said 'emin talu raya'."

Jovarii sat back, gazing at her Padawan.

"Do you believe it –"

"Meant something?" Tsena finished for her. "Yes, Master. I believe it was the future, but whether near or distant, I cannot tell."

There was silence for a moment, both Jedi mulling over Tsena's words.

Presently, Tsena asked, "What's going to happen now?", referring to their mission.

"Obi-Wan and I are still to find the bounty hunter," Jovarii replied. "But you are to stay at the Temple, and Anakin will accompany the Senator to Naboo alone."

Tsena nodded. She understood that the Council were concerned about her health now, so she accepted her confinement without complaint. She was happy for Anakin, as this would be his first solo mission.

"I wasn't sure I was good enough to work with Anakin in the first place," she confided. "I don't think I'd have been a good protector."

Jovarii raised an eyebrow. She thought her Padawan was more than competent, and she was proud of her, but she lacked confidence in her abilities. She was more of a pacifist, and hated to use violence. Quite the opposite to Jovarii.

"When are they leaving?" Tsena asked her Master.

"This afternoon. Anakin will be coming by soon to see you. He is delivering an order to leave for Naboo to the Senator from Chancellor Palpatine now."

"Might I go to see them off?" Tsena asked, sitting up.

Jovarii looked at her. "Are you sure you are well enough?"

"Yes, Master. I am perfectly healthy."

"Well, if the Healers have no objections, then I suppose you may." Jovarii stood up. "I must go now – I have to meet Obi-Wan to discuss our plan of action."

Tsena saw a look of pain flicker across her Master's face at the mention of Obi-Wan, but it was gone so quickly she thought she must have imagined it.

"All right, master."

"I will see you later, Padawan." Jovarii smiled briefly, then swept out the door.

A few minutes later, Anakin walked in.

"Tsena – you're awake." He smiled in relief and sat down next to her. "I wanted to be here when you woke up, but –"

"You had to see the Chancellor," she finished. "I know, Jovarii told me." She smiled at him. "She also told me that you are going on your first solo mission. I'm so happy for you, Anakin."

His eyes sparkled in excitement. "Finally, the Council has recognised my abilities. The Chancellor has been very supportive too." His eyes lost some of their gleam and he looked at her almost sadly. "I wish you were coming," he said honestly. "You and I on a beautiful planet like Naboo…"

Tsena reached out and took his hand. "I wish I could come too," she said softly. "I'm going to miss you."

"The sooner our Masters discover the identity of the bounty hunter, the sooner I can return," he told her.

"Then let us hope that they find out quickly."

* * *

Obi-Wan, Tsena, Dormé and Captain Typho accompanied Anakin and Padmé to the freight docks. It had been agreed that none but the two going to Naboo would exit the transport carrying them to the docks. In order to avoid attracting attention, Anakin and Padmé wore simple peasant clothes to blend into the crowd of refugees.

When they arrived at the docks, Obi-Wan pulled his Padawan aside as Padmé began her tearful farewells with her handmaiden and security captain.

"Anakin, you stay on Naboo. Don't do anything without first consulting either myself or the Council," he said to Anakin, repeating the mission instructions with added emphasis.

"Yes, master," Anakin replied, trying not the roll his eyes. _I've heard this enough times already,_ he thought, annoyed. Then he looked into his Master's face and, seeing only concern written on there, he softened.

_He's just worried about me,_ Anakin realised.

"Don't worry, Master. I will follow the Council's instructions," he assured him sincerely. Obi-Wan held his gaze for a moment, then nodded, giving him a small smile.

Anakin turned and walked over to Tsena. He was surprised to see her eyes brimming with tears.

"I had that dream again," she told him. She gave him a tight hug. "Don't do anything foolish, Anakin. Please." She stepped back, the tears spilling from her eyes.

Anakin cupped her face in his hands, gently wiping away her tears with his thumbs. "I promise you I will be fine," he reassured her tenderly. He knew she was worried – her very nature was to worry about the people close to her, and even people she was not close to at all. She was a worrier – a fault – yet empathic too – a virtue.

She brought her hand up to briefly rest on his. "Just stay safe," she whispered. She gave him a soft kiss on his cheek, then stepped away from him.

He gathered the bags and looked over at Padmé.

"It's time to go," he announced.

"I know," she answered, obviously less than happy.

He resisted the urge to sigh. He knew she did not want to leave the Senate in the midst of the debate. She'd made that quite clear earlier.

"May the Force be with you," Obi-Wan and Tsena said simultaneously.

"May the Force be with you," Anakin replied.

As Obi-Wan watched them disappear into the docks with R2-D2, he couldn't help muttering, "I hope he doesn't try anything foolish."

Captain Typho looked at him. "I'd be more concerned about her doing something than him," he said.

Tsena paid no attention to the comments, focusing on Anakin's back.

_Keep safe, Anakin. I love you._


	9. Hidden Reasons

A/N: Shift of focus from Tsena now...hope you like. and review! Review review review. Can't tell you how happy it makes me to see that little "review alert" subject in my inbox. Also, a lot of the following chapters will closely follow the AotC storyline (if you hadn't realised that already), but it's necessary. Review me!

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**Chapter Nine: Hidden Reasons**

Obi-Wan walked briskly to the Archives, deep in thought. He was meeting Jovarii there to begin their investigation.

He slowed his pace slightly. _Jovarii…_

She had been avoiding him since their confessions. True, she had been occupied with her Padawan, but when she had arranged this meeting with him, she had seemed distant. Her voice was subdued, her dry comments and sarcastic smirk gone. He had tried to speak and act as normal, falling back onto the Force to help him, and it had worked – but the Force could not stop him from feeling.

When she had kissed him, he had felt an inexplicable joy, yet at the same time he had experienced a strange sense of grief. Grief because, even as they admitted their feelings, he knew that they could not be together, knew that telling her would hurt both of them, knew that moment would never come again.

Obi-Wan understood that he would grieve a little every day for the life he would never be able to share with Jovarii, just as he grieved each day for his Master. Yet just as love, if pure and noble, could be like a warm embrace, so too could grief.

He entered the Archives and spotted Jovarii's familiar frame immediately. She was standing by an analysis cubicle. He made his way to her, taking the poison dart from his pocket.

When he reached her, he was glad to see that her usual, slightly sarcastic, expression had returned, one of her eyebrows raised slightly.

"You're late, Kenobi," she stated with her familiar smirk. She gestured to the analysis cubicle. "It's all yours."

Obi-Wan looked at her for a second, then sat down and placed the dart on the Analysis Droid's sensor tray. He was relieved that she was once again treating him normally, yet he also felt somewhat…disappointed. As if he were disappointed she had moved on so quickly, so effortlessly, when his own efforts to conceal his still-reeling mind and heart were costing him dearly.

"I need to know where this came from and who made it," he told the droid.

"One moment, please," the droid replied, then retracted the try and began its work.

The two Jedi waited patiently, watching the screen as various diagrams, symbols and information scrolled past. Suddenly, the screen went blank.

"Markings cannot be identified," the Analysis Droid announced. "As you can see on your screen, subject weapon does not exist in any known culture. Probably self-made by a warrior not associated with any known society. Stand away from the tray, please." The tray slid out again.

Jovarii made an impatient sound.

"Excuse me," Obi-Wan said. "Could you try again, please?"

"Master Jedi, our records are very thorough. If I can't tell you where it came from, nobody can," the droid informed him.

Jovarii sighed. "If I can't tell you, nobody can," she mimicked in a singsong voice, rolling her eyes. She caught the cautioning look on her companion's face. "What? It's just a droid."

She reached out and took the dart, and examined it closely.

"It hasn't got any markings or symbols. That's why the analysis was incomplete," she told Obi-Wan. She passed him the dart for inspection. "Look, it has some strange cuts down the sides," she pointed them out to him. "Maybe they are what will identify the dart."

"I think I know who could tell us where it came from," Obi-Wan murmured. He looked at Jovarii.

"Dex," they both said in unison.

"You go ahead," Jovarii said to Obi-Wan, waving him away. "I want to talk to Tsena."

He nodded, pocketed the dart and left the Archives.

Jovarii watched him go and let out a breath she hadn't realised she had been holding. She sank into the chair in the cubicle.

Pretending to be her usual, cynical self had used up a lot of her energy. How could he have been so effortlessly, infuriatingly _normal_ after all that happened last night? So irritatingly calm?

She sighed. _How ironic that the qualities that irritate me about him are yet more reasons why I love him._

* * *

Padmé looked around the freighter hold at the other passengers, most of them refugees. There were many different species, a few of which she couldn't even identify. She had never travelled in this manner before, and was curious about the environment. The hold was small, dark and crowded, and it was obvious that the passengers were poverty-stricken – the way she now looked, though her peasant garb was for her safety. 

"No!"

She heard a cry beside her and turned to look at Anakin. He was obviously having a nightmare. She touched his arm lightly, briefly enjoying the feeling of being close to him.

He woke up immediately and stared at her.

"What?" he said, blinking. He looked a little confused.

"You seemed to be having a nightmare," she told him. He continued to stare at her, and she looked away to where R2-D2 was making his way towards them. Anakin's gaze was a little disconcerting – as if he could see what she were thinking.

"Are you hungry?" she asked, gesturing to the food that R2 had just unloaded into their bowls.

Anakin looked at the greyish mush. "No, thanks," he replied, his eyes twinkling with laughter.

Padmé smiled and took a spoonful. Then she wrinkled her nose and put the spoon down, pushing the bowl aside.

"We went to lightspeed a while ago," she informed him, realizing that he did not wish to talk about his nightmare.

"I look forward to seeing Naboo again. It's the most beautiful place I've ever seen," he said conversationally.

"But now that you're a Jedi, you must have been to so many other places, wonderful planets so different to Naboo."

"My memories of Naboo are the most pleasant I have, besides those of my mother and some times at the Temple. Even though I was there during the war, I thought that everything was beautiful. And I doubt it's changed."

Padmé shifted. "It hasn't," she confirmed. Somehow, she felt a deeper meaning in his words – as if he had meant to say he had pleasant memories of not only her planet, but herself as well. She shivered slightly in pleasure at the thought.

In fact, Anakin's thoughts had turned to Tsena. Yes, everything on Naboo had been beautiful, and probably still was – but it was nothing compared to Tsena's quiet grace. He was worried about her – he knew she had experienced something in the Council chambers – something she wasn't telling him. He knew also that Tsena would not stop worrying about him until he arrived back safely – he had to make sure he did not give her any cause for concern.

Padmé brought him back from his reverie. "It must be difficult to have sworn your life to the Jedi," she said. "Not being able to visit the places you like, or do the things you like…"

He nodded. "Or be with the people I love," he continued, thinking wistfully of his mother and Tsena.

"Are you allowed to love? I thought it was forbidden for a Jedi."

He gave her a similar answer to the reason he had given Tsena. "Attachment is forbidden. Possession is forbidden. But compassion – which I would define as unconditional love – is central to a Jedi's life. So you might say we're encouraged to love." _Putting it that way, Tsena and I are not doing anything wrong,_ he thought. _And anyway, how could something so pure and right be dangerous?_

Meanwhile, Padmé's heart was racing. Encouraged to love? Maybe she had a chance after all…

They fell into silence, lost in their reasoning.

* * *

Jovarii walked briskly down the hall, a hologlobe in one hand. Obi-Wan had returned form Dex's diner with the information that the dart was from a planet from Kamino. Dex had told him that the Kaminoans were cloners, and that the planet was situated around twelve parsecs south of the Rishi Maze – but when Jovarii and Obi-Wan had tried to locate it in the Archives, they found nothing. 

She entered a room and smiled at the sight of Yoda leading a group of young children through lightsaber exercises. She remembered training when she was a child – the excitement, the nervousness, the concentration.

Master Yoda turned, blinked at her, then called, "Younglings, enough. A visitor we have. Welcome her."

Jovarii walked forward as the children removed their helmets and powered down their lightsabers.

"Master Jovarii Amara, meet the mighty Bear Clan," Yoda said.

"Welcome, Master Jovarii!" the children chorused.

Jovarii smiled and nodded in greeting.

"I'm sorry to disturb you, Master," she said to Yoda.

"What help to you can I be?"

"An old friend of Obi-Wan's described a planet to him, and his information is trustworthy – but the system doesn't show up on the archive maps."

Jovarii had been extremely frustrated when this had happened, and it had taken all her self-control not to snap at Jocasta Nu, the archivist who had assisted them.

"Lost a planet, Master Jovarii has. How embarrassing," Yoda remarked. The children giggled, and Jovarii smirked. "An interesting puzzle. Gather, younglings, around the map-reader. Clear your minds, and find Jovarii's wayward planet, we will try."

Jovarii placed the hologlobe into the top of the map-reader shaft, the lights dimming and the shades closing as she did so. A hologram of the star map appeared, and the children tried to touch the twinkling stars. Jovarii watched them in amusement for a second, then walked to a spot in the hologram.

"This is where it ought to be – but it isn't," she said, pointing out a space in the map. "The stars in the area are all being pulled by gravity to this spot. There _should_ be a star here."

"Most interesting," Yoda said. "Gravity's silhouette remains, but the star and all of its planets have disappeared. How can this be?" He turned to his class. "Now, younglings, in your mind, what is the first thing you see? An answer? A thought? Anyone?"

Jovarii looked at the class, slightly dubious. She knew the children were extremely bright – but this problem had stumped not only her, but Obi-Wan and Jocasta Nu as well.

One boy raised his hand. "Master? Because someone erased it from the archive memory," he said.

"Yes!" the other children agreed. "That's what happened. Someone erased it."

Jovarii stared at the children in surprise.

A girl added, "If the planet blew up, the gravity would go away."

Yoda chuckled at the look on Jovarii's face. "Truly wonderful, the mind of a child is. The Padawan is right. Go to the centre of gravity's pull, and find your planet you will."

Jovarii used the Force to retrieve her map. She frowned.

"Master Yoda, who could have erased information from the Archives? Only a Jedi could…" she trailed off.

"Dangerous and disturbing this puzzle is," Yoda admitted. "Who, and why, harder to answer are. Meditate on this, I will. May the Force be with you."

Jovarii repeated the wish, then left the room to find Obi-Wan. They should start off for Kamino straight away to get some more answers.

_So someone has tampered with the Archive files_, she thought. _What is happening on Kamino, I wonder? There must be a reason why somebody doesn't want it to be found._


	10. Understanding

A/N: chapter ten! we're getting closer to my favourite parts. hehehe. REVIEW! reviews are the best thing you could give me

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**Chapter Ten: Understanding**

Anakin watched as he and Padmé approached the lake retreat. She had suggest to Queen Jamillia that they stay there, as it was secluded and well protected. He could see that, as the lodge was on an island, anyone approaching would be easily sighted. And the retreat was situated amidst the beautiful scenery of Naboo's countryside – which would make his confinement much more comfortable.

Padmé shifted closer to him, laughing as the water speeder dipped and sent a spray of droplets over them.

Anakin glanced at her and realised that she was looking at him, a strange expression on her face. He looked away quickly.

_Maybe not quite that comfortable._

When they reached the lodge, they deposited their luggage and walked out to stand on the balcony, looking out at the lake.

"I love the water," Padmé said dreamily.

"I do too," agreed Anakin. "I guess it's from growing up on a desert planet."

"When we were young, we used to come out here and swim every day. The water always felt so cool and smooth. It was like glass." She leaned towards him slightly, so that her arm brushed his. He stiffened a little, suddenly nervous. "An old man lived on one of the islands, and made beautiful things out of glass," she continued. "They had ripples in them, like the water. It was magical."

She turned her head towards him, and the power of her gaze drew his eyes.

"I used to think that if I stared long enough into the glass, I would lose myself," she half-whispered. _I could lose myself in your eyes, Anakin…_

She found herself closing her eyes, reaching up and kissing him.

Almost immediately, he turned his head and stepped away from her.

"What are you doing?" he asked, his tone almost angry.

"I'm sorry," she said, blinking quickly. _Don't be angry with me, Ani. Please don't._ "I shouldn't have done that."

He shook his head and walked inside.

Padmé watched him go. She wasn't sorry that she had kissed him – her lips were still tingling, and the touch had left her feeling elated and breathless. But she was sorry about the way he had reacted. She had hoped – expected, even – that it would have turned out differently.

She turned back to the lake, and leaned against the balustrade.

_There's plenty of time left to change his mind._

* * *

Kamino was right where it was supposed to be. Jovarii and Obi-Wan landed their starfighters at Tipoca City, as instructed by a Kaminoan called Taun We. 

Rain drove down on them as they made their way to a tower near the landing platform. By the time they reached the door, they were soaked to the skin. They entered, and stepped into a brightly lit white room.

"Master Jedi, so good to see you," came a soft voice.

The two Jedi pushed back their hoods and saw the Kaminoan, Taun We, approaching them. She was tall and slender, with pale skin and huge almond-shaped eyes. She also seemed genuinely pleased to see them.

"The Prime Minister expects you," she went on.

"We're expected?" Jovarii asked, her astonishment thinly veiled. Obi-Wan could understand her incredulity – he could not fathom how the Kaminoans could have been expecting them.

Taun We seemed not to have noticed their astonishment.

"Of course," she answered. "He is anxious to see you. After all these years, we were beginning to think you weren't coming. Now please, this way."

The Jedi followed her through a maze of corridors, each area as bright and clean as the room they had first entered. Taun We led them to the Prime Minister's office and ushered them in. Another Kaminoan rose to greet them, a warm smile on his face. He waved his hand, and two egg-shaped metal chairs slid down from the ceiling.

"May I present Lama Su, Prime Minister of Kamino," Taun We introduced. "This is Master Jedi –"

"Obi-Wan Kenobi."

"And Master Jedi –"

"Jovarii Amara."

The Prime Minister indicated the chairs, and the Jedi sat down.

"I trust you are going to enjoy your stay," Lama Su said, sitting down at his desk. "We are most happy you have arrived at the best part of the season."

**_This_ is the best part of the season? This storm?**

Even in silent Force communication, Jovarii's cynical tone rang out sharply. Obi-Wan shot her a fleeting warning glance, then smiled and said, "You make us feel most welcome."

"You will be delighted to hear that we are on schedule," the Prime Minister went on. "Two hundred thousand units are ready, with another million well on the way."

Jovarii raised her eyebrows in surprise and confusion, a gesture Lama Su took to mean she was impressed.

"That is…good news," Obi-Wan said cautiously. **Units of what?**

**I don't know,** Jovarii replied.

Lama Su spoke again. "Please tell your Master Sifo-Dyas that we have every confidence his order will be met on time and in full. He is well, I hope?"

"I'm sorry – Master…?" Obi-Wan asked.

"Jedi Master Sifo-Dyas. He's still a leading member of the Jedi Council, is he not?"

"I'm afraid Master Sifo-Dyas was killed almost ten years ago," Obi-Wan told Lama Su.

"I'm sorry to hear that," the Prime Minister said sincerely. "But I'm sure he would have been proud of the army we've built for him."

"The army?" Jovarii asked without thinking.

"The army of clones," Lama Su answered. "And I must say, one of the finest we've ever created."

_An army. An army of over a million soldiers. That's more than enough to completely crush the Republic,_ Obi-Wan thought numbly. He glanced at Jovarii, and though her expression was neutral, he could sense her shock. He knew she was thinking the same thing.

"Tell me, Prime Minister," he said, carefully choosing his words. "When my master first contacted you about the army, did he say who it was for?"

"Of course he did," Lama Su replied unsuspiciously. "This army is for the Republic."

Instead of feeling relieved, Obi-Wan felt distinctly unsettled. Why would Master Sifo-Dyas have ordered an army for the Republic? Why hadn't the Jedi known about it?

Lama Su stood. "You must be anxious to inspect the units for yourselves," he said.

The Jedi rose. "That's what we're here for," Jovarii replied with a forced smile. They would have time to question the Jedi Council about Master Sifo-Dyas later. Now, they had to gather the information.

* * *

Padmé sat next to Anakin on the couch in the lounge room of the lodge, the fire washing glowing warmth over her. She wanted desperately to kiss him again, and savour the feeling of being close to him once more. She slid closer and leaned in, but Anakin turned away. 

"No, Padmé, don't," he said, standing up, his voice quiet but firm.

She stared at him, hurt. "I thought…"

"You were worng."

She blinked and looked down at her hands. She had not realised that Anakin was so committed to the Order. He had not seemed like one to accept the restrictions of rules. And she had felt a connection with him that she had never felt before – surely he had felt it too?

He seemed to sense her hurt feelings, and sighed and sat back down. "Padmé, you have to understand me. I didn't mean to hurt you…"

Padmé looked into his eyes and saw sincerity. A flicker of hope leapt in her – he must care about her!

"But you have to understand that you can't feel this way," he continued. "It's not possible."

"No, Anakin, anything is possible. I know you are a Jedi, but –"

"It's not just about the Jedi." He glanced away, and when he spoke again, he was quiet and intense. "My heart belongs to Tsena."

Padmé drew back, shocked. Although she knew it was irrational, she had never imagined Anakin feeling anything for anyone other than herself.

"You love her," she said, more of a statement than a question. Her heart was sinking, and she realised that she could now never tell him her true feelings. She couldn't come between two people who loved each other.

Anakin nodded. "I'm a Jedi. You're a Senator. Even without Tsena, it would not be possible."

"You're right," Padmé said. _I have a duty to my people, to my home…_ "I have more important things to do than fall in love." The words were more to convince her than him.

"Then you understand?" He searched her face.

She nodded, and drew a shaky breath. He smiled, relieved, and hugged her. She held him tightly, breathing in his scent, treasuring his warmth. Yes, she understood. She would move on and forget her feelings. Padmé Amidala could not fall in love with Anakin Skywalker.

She would not love a Jedi.

* * *

Jovarii waited while Obi-Wan finished transmitting their brief message to Master Yoda and Mace Windu. Taun We and Lama Su had given them a tour of the facilities, showing them thousands of clones. Taun We had organised a meeting for Obi-Wan and the original, a bounty hunter named Jango Fett – Obi-Wan and Jovarii had decided that two Jedi would arouse too much suspicion, so he had met Jango alone. He had caught a glimpse of rocket-armour – possibly the same armour worn by the bounty hunter who had killed Senator Amidala's assassin, and Jango had told him that he had been hired for the cloning job by a man called Darth Tyranus – not Sifo-Dyas. 

Obi-Wan ended the transmission and moved over to Jovarii.

"Well?" she asked him.

Obi-Wan began to walk towards the building. She followed, easily matching his pace.

"We have to bring Jango in for questioning," he informed her. She nodded and placed her hand on her lightsaber hilt.

The two Jedi snuck into Tipoca City and up to Jango's apartment. Jovarii tried the door – it slid open, revealing chaos – drawers emptied and hanging open, chairs knocked over, every personal item gone. Obi-Wan dashed to the wall computer, located the landing platform where Fett kept his ship – the Slave I – and found the fastest route there.

"Follow me," he said to Jovarii, then they sprinted out the door and into the rain.

Jango and his son, an unmodified clone of himself named Boba, were still loading their ship. Obi-Wan instantly recognised him as the bounty hunter from that night in Coruscant – Jango wore the same armour and jetpack. His back was to the door, and together, Obi-Wan and Jovarii charged forward.

Boba saw them approaching and shouted a warning to his father. Jango spun around and fired his blaster. Jovarii powered up her lightsaber just in time to deflect the bolts, and Obi-Wan ran forward. Just as he reached him, Jango yelled over his shoulder, "Boba, get on board!" and activated his rockets, shotting up into the air and continuing to fire at the Jedi.

Jovarii dodged the shots and dived forwards, aiming to come up behind the bounty hunter. He drew a second blaster and began to fire at her.

Suddenly, a huge explosion blew a chunk out of the landing tower, throwing Obi-Wan to the ground. His lightsaber clattered to the floor.

_That boy in the ship – he's firing the laser cannons!_ Jovarii realised, and then she had to dodge out of the way as Boba directed a shot at her.

When the energy pack had been depleted and the cannons stopped firing. Jovarii darted back towards Obi-Wan. He and Jango were rolling down the slippery surface, throwing punches. Suddenly, Jango fired up his rockets and leapt away into the air, and Jovarii saw something shoot down and wrap around Obi-Wan's wrist.

_Oh no. Cling wire,_ she thought, then she burst forward and launched herself into the air, using the Force to extend her jump. She somersaulted through the air, slicing through the cling wire with her lightsaber – but as she did so, Jango kicked her away, and she flew over the edge of the platform.

**Obi-Wan!** she screamed silently as she fell. She could see Jango rocketing back to his ship, and vaguely thought, _Great. I'm going to die, and he's getting away_** – **then she felt wire snake around her arm and her descent halted. She looked up and saw Obi-Wan standing at the edge of the platform, grasping the other end of the wire tightly. He had used the Force to send the cling wire down to wrap around her arm and pull her to safety. He pulled her up, and once she was back on solid ground, she drew a tracking device from her belt and threw it at the retreating Slave I. They heard it clank against the ship, firmly attached. Then they turned and quickly made their way back to their own starfighters.

"Go back to Coruscant and report to the Council – I will follow the Fetts," Obi-Wan told her when they reached the fighters.

"What? No. I'm coming with you," she replied, her face defiant and stubborn.

Obi-Wan turned to her. "No," he said firmly. "Wherever Jango's going, he doesn't want to be found. One Jedi is easier to conceal than two."

She glared at him, waiting for further explanation. He sighed and his face seemed to soften.

"I almost lost you then. I won't risk losing you now," he said.

Jovarii blinked. _He…what?_ She relaxed slightly, feeling oddly comforted by his words. Then she tensed, realising that what he feared could happen to her could just as easily happen to him.

"Well, what about you?" she asked. "I don't want to lose you, either."

"You won't." He climbed into his fighter. "I will return with answers quickly. I promise."

She eyed him for a second, then sighed and backed down. "You'd better." Her love for him and concern for his safety was matched by his for her – and she knew that if she went and something happened to her, it would hurt him deeply. And it crushed her to think of causing Obi-Wan pain.

"Be careful," she said. **My heart goes with you. Don't get into trouble, or you'll break it.**

He nodded, and a moment later he was off, speeding after the Slave I. Jovarii watched the fighter disappear before climbing into her own.

So they had come to an understanding – neither of them could ever be put in danger again – it would only cause the other grief.

_Stay safe, Obi-Wan._


	11. Promise

A/N: Hooray, new reviewers! Thank you so much, Al Bhed Slayer and crystal for your lovely reviews, and thank you Countess Jackman for yours, which was awesome as always. Sorry crystal - at this stageI have no plans to continue the story into the original trilogy timeline, and with the remaining chaptersI think you'll see why. That being said, there are still about 7 chapters to go, so enjoy the story! Here's chapter 11, and keep reviewing!

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**Chapter Eleven: Promise**

Anakin stood outside on the balcony, meditating quietly. He had had another awful dream about his mother – but this time, he knew that elements of it, at least, were real. He knew she was in terrible pain.

He felt Padmé step quietly towards him. He opened his eyes and turned to her.

"I brought you some juice," she said softly, handing him a glass. She watched him for a minute in silence. He finished the drink, then passed the glass back to her.

"I didn't want to disturb you," she told him. "I know you had a nightmare last night. I could hear you."

"Jedi don't have nightmares."

"I heard you." She looked him in the eye, and he relented.

"I saw my mother," he admitted. "She is in pain – they're killing her! I have to go to her. I can't let her die."

She nodded, her eyes wide.

"I know I'm disobeying my mandate to protect you," Anakin continued, his voice quiet but intense. "I know I will be punished and possibly thrown out of the Jedi Order. But I have to go."

She thought for a second.

"I'll come with you," she told him. He stared at her, confused.

"That way, you can continue to protect me, and you won't be disobeying your mandate," Padmé explained logically.

Anakin considered this. "What about Master Obi-Wan?" he asked.

She gave an almost sly smile. "Well, I guess we won't tell him, will we?"

Slowly, he nodded and returned her smile with a wobbly one of his own. She walked back inside the lodge to pack her things, leaving Anakin to his thoughts.

_Tsena…_ he thought suddenly. _She told me not to do anything foolish. She told me to stay safe._

He leaned on the balustrade. _But my mother is dying! I have to go to her. Tsena would understand. I'll be safe. I'll make sure I come back to her._

He closed his eyes and breathed deeply for a moment, before turning and walking inside.

_I love you, Tsena. I will find my mother. And I will come back to you. I promise._

* * *

Tsena lay awake in her room. She was afraid of going to sleep. Since Anakin had left, her dream had come to her every night – only when she slipped into the waves, the dream continued into the vision she had experienced in the Council chambers, and then she woke up. On top of this, she missed Anakin terribly and was also worried about her Master. Jovarii had been slightly listless and distracted since the night she had spoken to Obi-Wan on the landing pad, yet she insisted that she was fine everything Tsena asked her what was wrong. 

Tsena had been spending her days meditating and combat training, trying to bring her skills up to a higher level. But her natural reluctance to use violence, her disturbing visions and dreams and her lack of sleep were affecting her focus. Each time she meditated, she was assaulted by some kind of vision, usually something from her dreams, and always the words 'emin talu raya'. She had spent hours contemplating the meaning of the words, but always came up with nothing.

Despite herself, her eyes began to droop, and she was asleep within a couple of minutes.

_Tsena walked along in the heat of a desert. She could see someone in the distance, and began to follow him. It was Anakin, striding towards a group of tents near the horizon._

_Suddenly, she was outside a tent, watching Anakin approach on a speeder bike. She looked around and saw Tusken Raiders. She gave an involuntary shudder, and ducked into the tent._

_A woman hung from a cross-shaped frame, head drooping. Parts of her clothes and skin were covered with dried blood from old wounds. Tsena knelt down and gently lifted her head. _

"_Don't worry," she told the woman. "He's coming. He's coming."_

_Anakin rushed in, and when he saw the woman he swept her up. _

"_Mom…" Tsena heard him whisper._

_The tent was swirled into black, and then Tsena seemed to float in the air. The darkness disappeared, and she saw Anakin emerge from the tent below her. She tried to swoop down to him, but she stopped once she saw the look on his face._

_The grief told her that his mother had died, and she began to weep as she felt the pain he was feeling. But then he looked around, and an expression of pure rage and utter hatred filled and twisted his handsome features. Tsena drew back in fright – she had never seen him like this. _

_In slow motion, she saw him draw his lightsaber. Realising what he was about to do, she screamed, "No! Anakin!" and tried desperately to reach him and stop him – but she was met by a wall of thick glass. She pounded against it, tears streaming down her face. She felt something strange, a feeling of danger from elsewhere. She pushed it aside, focusing only on Anakin._

_No, Anakin, don't!_

Tsena sat bolt upright, sobbing uncontrollably.

"No, Anakin, Anakin!" she cried.

Jovarii burst in and ran to her Padawan.

"Tsena, what's wrong?" she asked, pulling her into a hug. She had never seen her apprentice this upset.

Tsena wrapped her arms around her Master and cried into her shoulder.

"She's dead…they killed her…Anakin killed them all…" she managed to choke out. Jovarii, though obviously confused and worried, hugged her until her tears began to subside.

"What happened, Padawan?"

Tsena reached into the Force to calm herself down. She took a deep, shuddering breath. "I had a vision of Anakin's mother. She was being held and tortured by Tusken Raiders – then Anakin came, and she died. He was angry, so angry…I tried to stop him, but I couldn't." She looked at her Master, a fresh wave of tears stinging her eyes. "He killed them. They're all dead. My Anakin killed every one of them," she whispered.

Jovarii stared at her in shock. She spoke with such conviction – as if these events had happened in reality, not in a dream.

And why had she said 'my Anakin'? _Does she…_

She mentally shook herself. Of course Tsena didn't. She would never risk her future as a Jedi.

_But you are…_ a voice in the back of her mind said. Jovarii blinked. _Be quiet,_ she told herself. _Focus on what Tsena just told you._

"Did this – did this really happen?" she questioned her Padawan.

Tsena nodded, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. "I know it did," she said. She bit her lip. "I think…I think he's in danger. He's not on Naboo. I think he and the Senator went to Tatooine."

"We'll have to tell the Council." Jovarii told her.

"I know…but I don't want him to get into trouble. It was his _mother_ dying, Master. He could not just wait and let her die." She looked at her Master. "I think Master Obi-Wan is in trouble, too."

Jovarii drew back, fear and anxiety radiating off her. "What? How do you know?"

"I felt it, in my vision. Something is wrong. I know it."

Jovarii stood, her hands shaking slightly. "We will see the Council as soon as possible."

* * *

Tsena and Jovarii stood in the Council chambers, as the Council digested the information Tsena had just told them. Suddenly, a loud beeping interrupted the silence – and incoming message. The two women stepped to the side, and an image of Obi-Wan appeared. Anakin was retransmitting a message from him. 

"I have tracked the bounty hunter Jango Fett to the droid foundries of Geonosis," Obi-Wan's hologram said. "The Trade Federation is to take delivery of a droid army here and it is clear that Viceroy Gunray is behind the assassination attempts on Senator Amidala. The Commerce Guild and Corporate Alliance have both pledged their armies to Count Dooku and are forming an –"

The hologram swung about. "Wait! Wait!"

Droidekas appeared in the hologram and grabbed him. Then the hologram flickered and broke apart. It was replaced seconds later with Anakin's image.

Tsena stared at Anakin, trying to gauge his emotions. She could feel him faintly through the Force – he was unsettled, and panicked about his Master.

Next to her, Jovarii was in shock. _Obi-Wan has been captured…_she thought numbly.

"He is alive," Yoda announced. "I feel him in the Force."

"But they have taken him," Mace said. "And the wheels have begun to spin more dangerously."

"More happening on Geonosis, I feel, than has been revealed."

"I agree. We must not sit idly by." Mace looked at Yoda.

The short Jedi Master closed his eyes. "The dark side, I feel," he said. "And all is cloudy."

Mace nodded and turned to the others. "Assemble," he said. He turned to Anakin's hologram. "We will deal with Count Dooku. The most important thing for you, Anakin, is to stay where you are. Protect the Senator at all costs. That is your first priority."

"Understood, Master," Anakin replied dully.

His tone and expression tore at Tsena's heart. He had just lost his mother, and now he could not go to help his Master, who was like a father to him.

The transmission ended, and Tsena stepped forward.

"My vision was real, Masters," she said. "I felt Obi-Wan in danger, I knew Anakin was on Tatooine."

Yoda nodded. "Correct, you were. What needs to be done, we will decide."

Jovarii spoke up. "Will you go to Geonosis to help Obi-Wan?"

"We will speak to the Chancellor first," Mace said. "Rest assured that no harm will come to Obi-Wan."

_That's not enough! I have to see him with my own eyes!_ Jovarii wanted to say. But she only bowed, and walked out of the chamber with Tsena.

She blinked back tears. _We will come for you, Obi-Wan. I promise._


	12. Last Hope

A/N: The long-awaited (well, the awaited anyway) chapter twelve - I'm actually very proud of this chapter. Might be a tissue warning, it depends on how you read it - I cried a little bit hehe. Quick update today, eh? Well, I probably won't be able to update later, so you get the benefit of another chapter right now. Enjoy, and review please. I love reviews.

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**Chapter Twelve: Last Hope**

Tsena closed her eyes and focused on the Force. She needed to meditate and find out what was happening to Anakin.

Images began to flash up in her mind.

_A ship landing in an exhaust vent._

_Anakin and Padmé running down a corridor._

_Anakin trying to free himself from a machine._

_Anakin and Padmé captured by droids and an armoured bounty hunter._

_Anakin and Padmé in a cart entering an arena._

Interspersed between these images, Tsena saw Obi-Wan's face. Then the visions from her dream – herself sinking into the sea.

And suddenly she knew.

Anakin and Padmé had gone to rescue Obi-Wan. They had been caught. They were to be executed.

And she understood what her dreams were telling her.

She had to save Anakin, the Chosen One, the man she loved. She had to save his life – but she had to give her own to do so. She loved him too much to let him die, he was too important to her and the Jedi.

She would save him, and she would die.

She rose and walked to her room. She felt strangely calm. She was not afraid of what was coming. If it would save the person she loved more than anything or anyone in the galaxy, she would give her life gladly.

She picked up a small, pocket-sized holocam and took it to record a message to Anakin – the last message he would ever receive from her.

_I'm coming, Anakin…_

* * *

Jovarii was sitting deep in meditation when she saw it. 

_Obi-Wan imprisoned inside a force field._

_Obi-Wan being led into an arena._

_Obi-Wan chained to a huge post, as thousands of Geonosians roared in excitement._

Jovarii slowly opened her eyes. _He's going to be executed,_ she realised.

A tear spilled onto her cheek, and she brushed it away angrily. Now was not the time for tears. She had to take action. She had not seen him dead, or dying. There was still time.

She stood up and strode away, her cloak billowing out behind her.

_You will not die, Obi-Wan. I love you too much to lose you. _

_I'm coming…_

* * *

"…and as my first act with this new authority, I will create a grand army of the Republic to counter the increasing threats of the separatist," Chancellor Palpatine announced to the Senate. 

"It is done then," Mace Windu said to Yoda as they sat overlooking the Senate. Yoda nodded grimly. "I will take what Jedi we have left and go to Geonosis to help Obi-Wan," Mace continued.

"And visit, I will, the cloners of Kamino and see this army they have created for the Republic," Yoda said.

The two Jedi walked away from the Senate Hall.

* * *

Tsena and Jovarii slipped into the stands around the arena. They had a clear view of Anakin, Padmé and Obi-Wan. Anakin had used the Force to control the reek that had been attacking him, and he was riding towards Padmé, who was standing on top of her post. She jumped down and dropped behind him, and they rode past Obi-Wan, who swung himself up behind them. 

Jovarii felt intense relief when she saw that Obi-Wan was unharmed – but it was short-lived. A group of droidekas rolled out and surrounded the reek, pointing their blasters at the three.

Tsena sensed that she didn't have much time left. She kept her eyes on Anakin.

"Master, I just want to tell you that whatever happens next, you are not to blame. It isn't your fault," she said in a low voice.

Before Jovarii had a chance to question her, Mace Windu's purple lightsaber flickered to life, sweeping into the signal they had been waiting for. The two women drew their own sabers and activated them, and as they did so, they could see two hundred blue and green blades appear in the stands.

Tsena continued speaking as she ignited her lightsaber. "You are a wonderful Master, and wonderful Jedi – and a wonderful friend," she said to Jovarii, her voice breaking slightly. Then she ran down to the arena.

* * *

Tsena sliced her way through countless droids, making her way as fast as she could to where she could feel Anakin's presence in the Force. All around her, she felt so many Jedi – too many Jedi – falling and becoming one with the Force. The arena floor was littered with their bodies, droids and the bodies of the execution creatures. Everywhere she looked, she found destruction. 

_There is no emotion – there is peace. There is no ignorance – there is knowledge. There is no passion – there is serenity. There is no death – there is the Force,_ she repeated to herself.

And then she saw him, his lightsaber a blur as he deflected shot after shot. He looked up and locked eyes with her – and despite the death and destruction around him, he smiled. He began to fight his way to her.

_This is it,_ Tsena thought. He was coming closer, focused on moving forward, leaving his back unprotected. And then she saw the blaster being raised and pointed at him…

She threw herself into the air and vaulted over Anakin a split second before the shot was fired. He whirled around just in time to hear the crack of the blaster, and to see Tsena fall.

"No!" he screamed, and caught her before she hit the ground.

About twenty Jedi were left, forming a circle as they were surrounded by droids. But Anakin saw none of this. All he could see was Tsena.

She gazed into his eyes, breathing heavily. The blaster had caught her in the chest – she knew she was dying.

"Anakin," she breathed. He cradled her in his arms, tears shining in his eyes.

"You'll be okay, Tsena, we'll get you out of here and you'll be fine," he said desperately.

"No," she said. "It's…too late…for me." **There's nothing you can do.**

"No, it's not!" Anakin cried, tears rolling down his face. He had not cried when his mother died, but he wept now as the woman he loved more than life slipped away.

"Anakin…please…listen to me," she struggled on. "It's not…your fault. It was my choice…my destiny." She gently stroked his cheek, her breathing becoming more ragged and broken. "I would…die every day…for you."

"You won't die, Tsena. You can't die!" he sobbed. "I love you. Don't leave me."

"I love you…too much…to let you…die." Tsena closed her eyes briefly. "You will be…such…a great Jedi…Anakin."

With the last of her strength she stretched up and kissed him – a long, sweet, gentle kiss that swept through her and drenched her broken body and soul with love and light. She broke away and he burned every detail of her into his memory – the sweet taste of her lips, her familiar scent, her long soft hair, her expressive blue and gold eyes – everything she knew and loved about her.

"I…love…you…" she whispered. _Emin talu raya,_ she heard in her mind – then she expelled her last breath, and Anakin felt her spirit leap from her body and dissolve into the Force. He bent over her body, tears dripping form his face to hers.

Jovarii felt her Padawan breathe for the last time, felt her become one with the Force.

"Tsena!" she screamed, and ran to where her apprentice lay in Anakin's arms. She collapsed to her knees, sobbing wildly. She felt Obi-Wan pull her up gently, and she clung to him, crying into his robes. Suddenly, she became aware that they were surrounded by gunships, piloted by and pouring out clone troops.

"Jedi, move!" she dimly heard Mace shout. Obi-Wan half-carried, half-dragged her onto a ship, and they were joined a moment later by Anakin, carrying Tsena, and Padmé. The ship took off, and Anakin set Tsena's body down, his face a mask of pain and anguish. Jovarii's expression was identical to his, her cheeks streaked with tears.

When Padmé saw Anakin's face, she understood how much he loved Tsena. He seemed almost to be hurting more than when he had lost his mother. She almost began dreaming of what it would be like to be loved that much, but stopped herself. She was in the middle of a war, in great danger. Now was not the time for sentimentality, especially when she had firmly pushed away and forgotten her own feelings for Anakin. She did not want to remember them any more.

Just then, they saw a Geonosian speeder zooming away from the battle being raged below them. It was Dooku.

Anakin's hands clenched into fists, anger beginning to burn in him. Dooku was the reason why so many Jedi were dead. He was the reason why Tsena was dead.

"It's Dooku. Go after him!" he commanded the pilot of the ship. He looked once more at Tsena's lifeless form, and turned to stare at the back of Dooku's speeder.

Obi-Wan glanced at Jovarii. She was shaking so badly she could hardly hang on and keep her balance. He reached out his hand and took up hers, and she gripped it with her trembling fingers as if it were a lifeline. He could sense nothing but pure grief in her for her Padawan, and he wished he could hold her and comfort her.

He looked at Anakin, who was staring straight ahead with grim determination. He reached out to his Padawan with the Force. He sensed intense grief, pain – and anger. The strength of his emotions was almost overwhelming. Obi-Wan glanced at Tsena's body, a pang of sadness of his own touching him for the young woman he had known since she was a child, training in the Temple.

_Could it be that Anakin's relationship with her was more than friendship?_ he wondered.

Suddenly, something exploded under the ship, and they lurched sideways. Padmé fell out of the open door and tumbled down a sand dune. Anakin just glanced back to check that she was unharmed, and then he turned to face the front again.

Obi-Wan was surprised. _So he had nothing but professional feelings towards Padmé all along._

They followed Dooku to a hangar tower. Jovarii looked at Obi-Wan. "You go," she said. "I…I can't. I'll stay here."

Obi-Wan nodded. He could see that she was in no condition to fight. She gripped his hand a second longer. **Please, be careful,** she told him through the Force, her eyes red and hollow. **I've already lost Tsena. I can't lose you too.**

She released him, and he nodded again. He looked to Anakin as he prepared to get off the ship.

Anakin began to follow, but turned to face Jovarii. "Make sure Tsena gets back to the Temple," he told her. "I don't care how. Just…make sure she does."

Jovarii nodded, and the two men leapt out of the ship.

* * *

Count Dooku stood by a control panel, a small interstellar sail ship sitting nearby. He watched as the two Jedi approached. 

As soon as he saw him, Anakin felt his anger rising. "You're going to pay for all the Jedi you killed today, Dooku!" he called. _You're going to pay for killing Tsena._

Obi-Wan drew his lightsaber, and Anakin did the same. "We move in together," he said. "You, slowly on the –"

"No," Anakin said. His rage was burning, and he knew that if he waited, it would explode and he would lose control. "I'm taking him now!" He charged forward.

"Anakin, no!" Obi-Wan shouted.

The Count smiled faintly. He raised his arm and sent a stream of Dark side Force lightning shooting out towards Anakin. The young Jedi was thrown violently into the air, and he slammed into the wall and slumped down, dazed.

"As you can see, my Jedi powers are far beyond yours," Dooku said to Obi-Wan confidently.

"I don't think so," Obi-Wan countered, moving slowly towards him. Dooku ignited his saber, a red-glowing blade.

Obi-Wan came at him, striking hard. Dooku barely needed to move to block the cuts.

"Master Kenobi, you disappoint me," he taunted. "Yoda holds you in such high esteem."

Obi-Wan fought on grimly, but he was beginning to tire. He backed off.

"Come, come, Master Kenobi," Dooku jeered. "Put me out of my misery."

Obi-Wan dove back into the battle, and Dooku was surprised by the ferocity of the attack. But soon his pace began to slacken as his exhaustion set in, and the Count began to drive him back. Obi-Wan missed a parry, and Dooku's lightsaber flashed into his shoulder. His own faltered for a fatal second, and Dooku stabbed into his thigh.

Obi-Wan stumbled back, his lightsaber sliding across the floor. The Count raised his arm for the final blow.

"And so it ends," he said with a slight shrug. He brought his weapon down at Obi-Wan's head.

A green blade cut in underneath, stopping the weapon with a shower of sparks.

Anakin forced Count Dooku's lightsaber away from his Master, his emotions finally under control.

"That's brave of you, boy, but foolish," Dooku said calmly. "I would have thought you'd learned your lesson."

"I'm a slow learner," Anakin shot back, and charged.

His attack was fast and unrelenting, catching the Count off-guard and driving him back. Dooku looked surprised, but he recovered quickly.

"You have unusual powers, young Padawan," he said. "But now enough to save you this time!"

Anakin was beginning to tire, and Obi-Wan knew he needed to do something unexpected to defeat the Count. He summoned up his strength.

"Anakin!" he called, and used the Force to fling his lightsaber to his apprentice.

Anakin caught it, smoothly igniting it and sweeping it into his attack. He picked up his pace, his blue and green blades moving with perfect precision. Suddenly, he remembered the day he had returned to the Temple and watched Tsena train against Jovarii. He smiled briefly, an idea springing up in his mind.

The Count struck downwards, and Anakin met his blade with both of his, pushing against the bar of red light. Slowly, he allowed Dooku to force him back until he was on the ground, holding the weapon off just above his head. He saw Dooku's triumphant smile.

_You haven't won yet,_ he thought, and then he kicked out, landing the Count on his back. Immediately, Anakin leapt to his feet and flipped over, pointing his own lightsaber at Dooku's throat, and Obi-Wan's blade at his heart.

"Give up, Dooku?" he asked.

The Count grinned evilly. "Never," he said, and swept his lightsaber across and down, slicing Anakin's arm at the elbow.

Searing pain tore through Anakin, beginning to dull his senses. With the last of his strength, he plunged Obi-Wan's lightsaber down into Dooku's heart.

As he slumped to the floor, he felt Dooku die. The last thing he saw before he lost consciousness was Master Yoda at the door of the hangar.

* * *

Tsena had strayed beyond all time and space. She could see and feel the warm glow of the Force calling to her. 

She looked ahead, and to her surprise saw an image of Anakin. Then his features twisted strangely, and he was clothed in black, a black helmet covering his head, a red-glowing lightsaber in his hand.

_Red…the colour of the Sith!_

She saw him strike a blow to an old man wilding a blue blade – an older Obi-Wan Kenobi. She saw him use the Force to choke a man in uniform.

_He will turn to the Dark side…_

Then she saw no more.

* * *

On board the gunship, Jovarii suddenly felt something flare in the body of her apprentice. She gently placed her hand on Tsena's pale cheek – and her eyes widened. 

She ran to the pilot. "I need to get to Coruscant immediately!"

The pilot nodded and set the coordinates.

Jovarii turned back to her apprentice.

She was alive.


	13. Questions

A/N: Haha, sorry for the cliffhanger! It was necessary though. Hehe. Thank you so much for your wonderful encouraging reviews, Countess Jackman, ButterCowLuvr and Al Bhed Slayer. And yes, I'm hyped too! Getting very very excited, although unfortunately, I can't see it until June because of my assessments. So here's chapter thirteen for you - only five more after this to go!

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* * *

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**Chapter Thirteen: Questions**

Tsena opened her eyes slowly. All she could see was light.

She blinked, and she could see white walls.

Another blink, and she became aware that she was lying on a bed.

She turned her head, and there was her Master, asleep in a chair.

Tsena was confused. Where was she? How did she get here? Why was she here?

Suddenly, Jovarii jerked awake, and upon seeing her Padawan's questioning face, burst into tears – a display of emotion incredibly uncharacteristic of the normally expressionless Jedi.

"Master, why are you crying?" Tsena asked, taking her hand. She looked around. "Why am I in the Temple medcentre?"

Jovarii brushed away her tears and stared at Tsena, eyes red from weariness and crying. "You died," she whispered. Tsena shivered, a chill running down her spine. "You died, but now you're _alive_." Jovarii slowly shook her head, her eyes never leaving Tsena's face. She began to cry again, gripping her Padawan's hand tightly. "How did you come back to us?"

Slowly, Tsena's memory returned to her. She remembered her dreams, and what she had realised they meant. She saw herself taking the shot meant for Anakin. She heard those strange, yet familiar words – 'emin talu raya'. And she saw that black mask, that red blade…

"I wasn't alive…but it didn't seem as if I were dead," Tsena recounted slowly. "I saw…something. And then everything went black."

The door slid open, and Obi-Wan and Yoda walked in. Obi-Wan's shoulder was bandaged, and he limped slightly. Tsena could sense their gladness when they saw her awake.

Jovarii quickly dried her eyes. "Master Yoda, Obi-Wan," she greeted them. Obi-Wan walked over to her. Tsena could see that they were communicating silently through the Force. She was puzzled. She hadn't been aware that her Master shared such a strong bond with obi-Wan.

She turned to Yoda. "Master Yoda, I am glad to see you," she smiled.

Yoda tapped her gently with his cane. "Glad to see anything, you are."

She nodded, then glanced at Jovarii. She wanted to speak with Yoda about what had happened, but she was not sure her Master was ready to hear it.

Yoda turned to Jovarii. "Tired, you are, I feel. Rest, you must have," he said. "To the Temple gardens go, and be at ease. Obi-Wan, accompany her, you may."

Jovarii and Obi-Wan nodded and left the room, Jovarii giving her Padawan a wobbly smile over her shoulder that was only a shadow of her former smirk.

Tsena pulled herself up to a sitting position. "Master," she began. "I need to know why I'm…alive."

Yoda twitched his ears. "Yes. Need to know why, we all must."

"There is something I must do, but to do it I must understand what has happened to me," she continued. "Master Yoda, who are my parents?"

The short Jedi Master considered her for a moment. "Find your parents, you must, hmm?"

"Yes, Master," Tsena answered. "Aside from the obvious, I'm perfectly healthy, and fine to travel. And before I…died, I kept hearing my mother saying 'emin talu raya'. I'm sure the words are significant, and I know that she would know what they mean."

Yoda nodded. "Understand, I do. See them, you must," he agreed. "A unique case, you are. To your parents, we will send you. Tomorrow, you will leave."

Tsena nodded. "Thank you, Master Yoda."

He left the room, leaving Tsena to her thoughts. She smiled at the thought of seeing her parents for the first time in nineteen years. They could tell her how she was still alive, she knew it.

She slipped out of the bed and walked steadily to the door. She had to see Anakin.

* * *

Tsena stared at Anakin's mechanical arm as he lay on the bed in one of the medcentre rooms. She reached out and touched it gently, the metal feeling cool against her skin. 

_How can someone so beautiful, so **good**, turn to the Dark side?_ she wondered, gazing into his sleeping face. She shuddered as she thought of the dark figure she had seen – the Sith lord who was not the Anakin she knew.

_I will not let you turn into that, Anakin,_ she vowed. _I will prevent it from happening. It is not – it will not be – you._

She leaned over and placed a gentle kiss on his forehead, then sat back and watched as he stirred and opened his eyes.

When Anakin saw Tsena sitting before him, looking as beautiful and healthy as the day he met her, his eyes widened in shock and disbelief.

"I must be dreaming," he breathed. He stared at her as he might stare at a vision or a ghost.

She smiled, took his hand and pressed it to her lips. "You're not dreaming, Anakin," she said, holding his hand in both of hers.

"I have to be. You can't be…here. I was there when you died – I felt you leave…"

"Anakin. I'm as real as you are." **I don't know how, but I'm alive. I'm here. **She bent down and kissed him lightly, and as soon as their lips touched, Anakin knew.

"But…_how_?" he asked hoarsely.

Tsena shook her head. "I don't know." She gripped his hand a little harder. After a while, she spoke again. "Tomorrow, I'm going to see my parents – I'm sure they know something about…this."

Anakin slowly nodded. "I understand."

"I don't' know how long I'll be gone, but I want you to promise me that you won't do anything…stupid."

"I promise," Anakin said, slightly puzzled.

Tsena gave a small smile. "Really? Because I seem to remember that the last time you promised me that, you got yourself sentenced to death on Geonosis."

He grinned. "It all turned out for the best," he countered. His smile faded a little. "I swear to you I will keep out of trouble, as long as you do the same. I lost you once already, and it almost killed me."

"I almost lost you and it did kill me," she tried to joke. She saw the look on his face and swept him into a tight embrace. "I'm sorry, Anakin."

"What for?"

"For scaring you, for hurting you. And I promise you I won't do it again."

He leaned back and gently stroked her cheek. "It's okay, Tsena. I don't blame you. And we'll both stay out of trouble."

She smiled at him. "Okay." **I love you.**

**I love you too.**

* * *

"How are you feeling?" Obi-Wan asked Jovarii gently as they walked into the Temple gardens. 

Jovarii gave a faint smirk. "All over the place," she answered. She drew a hand across her eyes and chuckled mirthlessly. "I've cried more in the last week or so than I have in my entire life." She glanced at her companion, and he caught the meaning in the look.

"Jovarii –" he began.

She held up a hand to stop him. "I know," she interrupted. "I wasn't going to re-open the discussion. Don't worry." She knelt down on the grass, and he followed suit. "Look, Obi-Wan – I'm always going to care about and love you. But I understand that we can't be together. And I can live with that."

Obi-Wan nodded, and Jovarii detected a faint hint of relief and sadness sin the small smile on his lips.

_He feels the same way,_ she realised. _He knows we can't be together, but he still cares._

They were silent for a minute, meditating on the Force. Presently, Obi-Wan broke the silence.

"How is Tsena? Does she know what happened?"

"She is remarkably well, for someone who's supposed to be dead," Jovarii said with a half-smile. "She doesn't know how she came back to life. She remembers dying – then she told me she saw something, and everything went black. She didn't say what she saw."

"Understandable," he commented. He closed his eyes. "She's coming now."

Tsena walked quietly over and joined the Jedi on the grass.

"Hello, Master Obi-Wan," she greeted.

"Hello Tsena," he responded, opening his eyes. "You went to see Anakin, didn't you?"

"Yes. Why didn't anyone tell him I was alive?"

"He was unconscious when we brought him to the medcentre," Jovarii put in. "When he woke up, he was only awake for a few seconds. Then he fell asleep. It was almost as if he didn't want to wake up."

"Oh." _Didn't want to wake up? Could it have been because of…me?_

"What is it that you wish to tell me, Padawan?" Jovarii asked.

"Tomorrow I'm leaving to see my parents," Tsena told her. "I know that they can tell me why I'm still alive."

"You're going alone?" asked Obi-Wan. Tsena nodded.

Jovarii narrowed her eyes. "Is it safe?"

"They live on Teranis, Master. It's one of the most peaceful systems in the Republic," she reassured her.

"Make sure you keep safe, Padawan. I don't want you to have to eat your words while you're there," Jovarii said, twisting her mouth into a faint smirk.

Tsena easily saw through her master's attempt at light heartedness. "I will, Master," she said sincerely. "I won't cause you any more pain."

_I don't want to cause anyone any more pain._

* * *

Anakin walked along with Tsena to the hangar, carrying her bags. Ahead of them, their Masters were deep in conversation. 

Anakin took a deep breath. He had spent the whole night thinking, and now he had something important to say to Tsena.

"Tsena?"

"Mmm…?" she answered, a little distracted. Her mind was obviously focused on what she would say to her parents when she landed on Teranis.

"I want to marry you."

Tsena stopped dead and stared at him. "You want to what?"

"I want to marry you," he repeated. He watched her anxiously, trying to gauge her emotions.

"But it's forbidden," she half-whispered. Anakin was relieved to note that this seemed to be her only objection.

"We could keep it a secret," he suggested. "Nobody needs to know."

"Anakin, we couldn't keep a secret that huge from the Jedi. One way or another, they would find out! It's bad enough that we're disobeying the Code by being together, but –"

"What do you mean, 'bad enough'?" Anakin cut in, angry and hurt. "You think it's _bad_ that we're together? You think it's _bad_ that we love each other?"

"No, Anakin, that's not what I mean!" She was becoming a little distressed. Anakin had never been this angry with her before. "I just think that maybe we should wait. Maybe the Council will grant us special permission, with you being the Chosen One and me – well, I'm supposed to be dead."

He stared at her for a moment longer. She looked into his eyes, and to her relief, felt his anger subside.

"You're right," he admitted.

"We can just take one thing at a time," she said. They continued to walk to the waiting ship. She thought for a second, then turned to Anakin.

"Anakin, there's nothing I would love more than to be your wife. And when I come back, when I've done all I have to do, when you have done what you have to do, and if the Council grants us permission – then we can get married."

"But that could be years from now!" he argued.

"It's all we can do." She stopped again, and placed a hand on his cheek. "I love you, Anakin, and I don't want to jeopardize our relationship or our futures by rushing into something we're not ready for."

Finally, he relented. "All right, Tsena. Just as long as I know that someday you'll be my wife."

She smiled. "I will," she promised.

They caught up to their Masters, and Anakin handed Tsena her bags.

"May the Force be with you," Obi-Wan said.

"And with you, Master Obi-Wan," Tsena returned, smiling. She turned to Anakin. "Good-bye, Anakin. Don't be a fool while I'm gone, and get your other arm sliced off." She did not kiss him or embrace him for fear that their Masters would discover their relationship. She moved in front of Jovarii. "I will see you soon, Master. And I will return with answers."

"May the Force be with you," Jovarii said, and she gave her Padawan a brief hug. "Keep safe."

Tsena smiled at the three Jedi, then walked into the ship. The questions had been asked – and now, she had to find the answers.


	14. Anticipation

A/N: Will the answers come? Read on to find out...

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* * *

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**Chapter Fourteen: Anticipation**

Tsena gazed at Teranis as the ship began to land. The planet as a whole sparkled like a blue and green jewel from space, and the city of Gwaan, where her parents lived, was neat and clean. It was not like Coruscant, which was a jumble of skyscrapers and traffic jams. Gwaan had a slightly old-fashioned feel to it, one that did not date it or label it as backward, but rather added the charm of antiquity.

She gathered her luggage and prepared to get off the ship. She had sent a message to her parents earlier, and she knew they would be waiting to receive her. She took a deep, steadying breath and walked down the ramp.

A man and a woman waited on the landing platform, and even though she had not seen them for almost her entire life, Tsena recognised her parents immediately. Her father's eyes were the same shade of blue as her right eye, and she had inherited his calm, peaceful expression. Her mother's hair was just like her own – long, dark and wavy.

When they saw her, their faces split into delighted smiles, and she almost ran forward eagerly. They enveloped her in a warm embrace as soon as she reached them.

"Oh, Tsena. Look at you," her mother, Keila, said. "You're such a beautiful young woman." Tsena smiled at the sound of her voice, a voice now familiar from her dreams.

"Come, we will go home, and then you can explain to us the reason for your visit," Tsena's father, Perann, smiled as he took her bags from her. She took her mother's hand, and together, the family walked into the city.

* * *

"Stop the attacks on Senator Amidala, you must," Yoda was saying to Obi-Wan. "More intense, they may become." 

Anakin was not paying attention the Council had specifically called him and Obi-Wan in, and since they had spent the last few minutes speaking to Obi-Wan, his turn was approaching. He was full of nervous anticipation – perhaps he was to become a Knight! Surely that was the reason why the Council wished to speak to him.

"Anakin," Mace Windu addressed him.

Anakin stood straighter. "Yes, Master?" he said with a short bow. _This could be it…_

"We commend you on your recent efforts in protecting Senator Amidala and your conflict with Dooku," Mace said. "We have come to a decision regarding your standing within the Jedi Order."

Anakin tried not to let his excitement control his thoughts. He did not want the Council to sense his confidence, especially when many of the members had been against his being trained in the first place.

"It is the decision of the Council," Mace continued. "That you remain a Padawan, under the tutelage of Obi-Wan."

"What?" Anakin shook his head in disbelief. "But Masters, I am ready to become a Knight! Might I ask why this decision has been made?"

"Much to teach you still, Obi-Wan has. Learn more from him, you must," Yoda replied.

"Masters, there is little I still can learn from master Obi-Wan. I may have begun training later than other Padawans, but my skills –"

"Yes, skills you have," Yoda interrupted. "But arrogance and over-confidence you have also."

Anakin opened his mouth angrily to argue, but Mace cut in.

"Anakin, you will not accompany the Senator with Obi-Wan back to Naboo. You are both dismissed," he said decisively.

Anakin spun on his heel and stalked out, Obi-Wan following more calmly behind. As soon as they were in a quiet, deserted area of the corridor, Anakin turned to Obi-Wan.

"Master, you don't agree with them, do you?" he burst out. "I'm ready to be a Knight, surely you can see that!"

"The Council believes that you still have lessons to learn," Obi-Wan answered evenly.

"The Council," Anakin almost spat out. "Has been wrong before. I have proved myself to be as good a Jedi as any other Knight. A Sith Lord – the man who could have caused galactic war – is dead because of me."

"Killing a Sith does not immediately guarantee elevation to Jedi Knight."

"You became a Knight when you killed Darth Maul." Anakin's tone was almost accusatory.

Obi-Wan's face took on a pained expression. "My Master was killed by that Sith. I was left on my own – the Council thought I was ready. So did Qui-Gon, before he died." _He was going to let me go through the trials so that he could train you, Anakin. His last words made me promise to train you._

Anakin caught the pain in his Master's eyes, but he ignored it and focused on what he had just said. "The Council thought you were ready. So you don't think I'm ready." His tone was bitter and angry.

"Anakin –" Obi-Wan started.

Anakin glared at him and stormed off. Obi-Wan watched him go and sighed heavily, closing his eyes for a brief moment. The anger he had sensed in his Padawan was frightening – seeming to come from a place deep within that he had hidden and suppressed.

_If he doesn't give that anger to the Force, if he doesn't control it – he could fall._

* * *

Anakin stood in Chancellor Palpatine's office, a place where he felt welcome and appreciated. He had wished he could speak to Tsena, but knew that she needed some time alone with her parents – so he had opted to speak to the man who was almost as much of a mentor as obi-Wan. The Chancellor was the only one who knew of Tsena and Anakin's relationship – he was the perfect person to talk to. 

"They think I'm not ready, that I still have much to learn," he finished.

Palpatine shook his head. "They don't trust you, Anakin."

Anakin clenched his teeth. The Chancellor was right. Not even his own Master believed he was ready. "But you do, don't you, Chancellor?"

Palpatine smiled and placed his hand on Anakin's shoulder in a fatherly gesture. "If I were on the Jedi Council, you would be a Master already." He noticed the smile on Anakin's faces, and his own widened. "I have said it before, and I will say it again – you are the most gifted Jedi I have ever met."

"Thank you, your Excellency," Anakin said coolly. His tone was deceiving – inside, he was thrilled. Compliments from Chancellor Palpatine were not to be taken lightly – in Anakin's mind, they were an honour as great as a compliment from Yoda. Perhaps even more so, as the Chancellor was the most powerful and influential man in the galaxy.

"It is a pity and a shame that the Jedi do not give you enough freedom to use your skills," Palpatine added. "I know that I would do all that I could to allow you to expand your powers."

"I know you would, Chancellor, and sometimes I wish you were on the Jedi Council to provide a true voice of reason," Anakin said earnestly.

Palpatine smiled. "When you tell me of their decisions, when I see some of the things they have done – I also think the same thing, Anakin. We are quite alike, you and I."

_Me, similar to the Chancellor of the Republic! A man who is wiser, more powerful and knowledgeable than almost everyone I know!_ Anakin thought. _It's almost unimaginable – and yet, it is also possible, thanks to his guidance._

The Chancellor smiled widely. "Come see me tomorrow, Anakin, and we will discuss matters further."

* * *

Tsena's parents lived a short way from Gwaan in a small, modestly furnished house. Although it was small and not elaborately decorated, it had a homely atmosphere, with holographs and flowers all around. Tsena saw a few holographs of herself when she was a baby, nestled in her parents' arms. 

She followed her father to the table while her mother made some tea.

"Tell us how your Jedi training is going," Perann said as Keila sat down beside her daughter with the teapot and three cups.

"It's going very well, dad. I'm still a Padawan learner," Tsena told them. "Thank you," she said to her mother as Keila poured her tea and pushed the cup to her.

"Who is your master?" Keila asked, passing Perann a cup.

"Jovarii Amara. She's a wonderful master. She has taught me so much." They fell silent for a moment as they sipped their tea. Tsena set down her cup. "I'm afraid this isn't purely a social visit," she told her parents.

"We guessed as much," Perann said.

"We know that Jedi are not supposed to visit or even know about their parents," Keila added.

"Yes, well I suppose I'm a very unique case," Tsena said with a small smile.

"What has happened to bring you to us?" Perann asked.

Tsena recounted everything that had happened in the last two weeks, explaining the details of her dreams and visions, and the words she kept hearing. When she finished, her parents were quiet for a moment, digesting the information.

Keila broke the silence. "Who is Anakin exactly?"

"We believe he is the Chosen One, the one to bring balance to the Force," Tsena told her. She looked down at her cup, debating whether or not to tell her parents about her relationship with Anakin.

Her mother's voice interrupted her thoughts. "And how deep does your relationship with him run?" Startled and surprised, Tsena stared at her mother, who laughed and said, "Don't look so surprised, Tsena. A mother always knows."

Tsena gave her a slightly embarrassed smile. _Well, perhaps the more they know, the more they can explain…_ "Anakin and I…we love each other. We want to be married, but obviously we can't. I don't want to give up the Jedi, and neither does Anakin – so we thought that maybe once he has fulfilled the prophecy, and I have done what I have been given a second chance at life to do, we could request special permission from the Council, considering our…uniqueness."

"That makes sense," Perann agreed.

"I know that I must stop Anakin from becoming the Sith I saw when I died, but I need to understand why I cam back to life." She saw her parents exchange looks.

"Tsena, what we have to explain to you will take a long time to tell. We will tell you what you need to know tomorrow, when you are refreshed," Keila said gently, but in a tone that told Tsena that this was the only option.

Reluctantly, Tsena nodded. She had hoped to return to Coruscant as soon as possible – she had been getting the feeling that Anakin needed her since she reached the house. But there was obviously a lot that she needed to know.

_The answers will come tomorrow._


	15. Revelations

A/N: another chapter (I don't actually remember how many I've done today now...), because I'm too excited about Star Wars in less than 3 hours! (Over here, anyway). My brother's going to see the midnight one - I'm so envious! I wish I could go. He asked if I wanted to, but I have exams tomorrow, so I can't! sob sob. Well, on with the story!

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**Chapter Fifteen: Revelations**

When Tsena wandered into the kitchen, she found her parents seated at the table, eating their breakfast. There was a plate set before an empty chair, and Tsena sat down and began to eat.

A few minutes passed in silence, until Tsena finished her breakfast. She looked at her parents and said quietly, "I need to know now why and how I am still alive – I had another vision of Anakin becoming a Sith last night. I know the time is coming – and I need to know."

Perann nodded. He understood that she had to know – the future depended on it. "To understand, you must first know a little about our culture," he began. "Here on Teranis, we believe strongly in the forces of nature. We believe that the eyes are like windows to the soul."

"People with brown eyes, like mine, are called children of the earth," Keila said. "People with eyes like your father's are children of water. Those with grey eyes are children of the sky, green are children of the forest, and golden-eyed people are children of light."

"So I would be a child of light and water?" Tsena guessed.

Perann nodded. "_The_ child of light and water, actually." He looked to his wife. "You should explain this, Keila."

Tsena's mother took a deep breath. "The words you heard me say to you before you left – emin talu raya – mean 'Child of Light and Water'. It is also the title of an ancient prophecy from a Teranian wise man years ago."

Tsena blinked and furrowed her brow slightly, confused. _A prophecy?_

"The prophecy foretold the coming of a child with one golden eye and one blue eye, filled with the light of good and as gentle and calm as water. It was prophesied that this child would die for love, see the future of the one they died for, and would return to life to change the future of their beloved and, in doing so, would change the fate of the galaxy."

"And this child is _me_?" Tsena breathed, eyes wide.

Perann nodded. "We knew when you were born – nobody in the history of Teranis has ever had mismatched eyes except you."

"If you knew I was the child, why did you let me leave to become a Jedi? Why didn't you keep me here to learn of my destiny?"

"We felt that if you were a Jedi, you could develop skills that might assist you in fulfilling the prophecy," Keila answered.

Tsena sat back in her chair, slightly overwhelmed. She did truly believe her parents and this prophecy – after all, she it all the criteria. But she felt incredibly daunted by her task and this new realisation of responsibility. _If Anakin turns to the Dark side, the whole galaxy will suffer. The fate of the galaxy rests on **my** shoulders!_

Perann reached forward and took his daughter's hand. "I know you're afraid, Tsena. But you will not fail – I know you won't. You are strong, and you can do this."

"Thank you, dad."

Keila put her arm around her, and she rested her head on her mother's shoulder. The time was approaching – it was only a matter of time.

* * *

Anakin stood once again in Chancellor Palpatine's office. He had spent the night mulling over his words, and now he was even angrier at the Council and Obi-Wan. _I'm more powerful than any of them, and still I'm forced to obey their rules! Obi-Wan is just holding me back!_

"Too long have you been restricted by the petty rules and regulations of the Jedi Order," Palpatine said to him. "But there is a way you can grow to your full potential, where you can become who you were born to be – the most powerful man in the galaxy."

Anakin turned to him eagerly. "What is it?" _I'm sick of being overlooked, sick of not being able to do anything I want to do._

"The way of the Dark side is not, as many think, the way to destruction. It is the way to power, to freedom."

Anakin stared at Palpatine. Could it be…?

"Yes," Palpatine smiled. "I am the Sith lord, Darth Sidious, and I am offering you the chance to join me and become the most powerful man in the galaxy."

Anakin continued to stare, and Palpatine sensed his hesitation. "Join me, and you will be released from the prison the rules of the Jedi hold you in. You will be able to exercise your full power. I can teach you skills that are so powerful, the Jedi are afraid to use them." He paused, then continued with a final sentence that he knew would clinch the deal. "Join me, and you will be free to marry Tsena and rule the galaxy with her at your side."

Anakin blinked, and he suddenly saw all that was laid before his feet – the path of the Light side, narrow and restricting, and the path of the Dark side, wide and inviting. He thought of Tsena – all he wanted was to marry her – something he could not do if he stayed with the Jedi. But if he joined the Sith…

He knelt before Darth Sidious.

"I will follow you, my Master."

* * *

Tsena stood up abruptly. "It's time," she half-whispered, a single tear sliding down her cheek. Anakin had turned – she felt it tear at her heart and soul. 

Her parents nodded, and Keila ran to Tsena's room to pack her things. Perann stood up and embraced his daughter. "Be careful, Tsena. I know you will fulfil your destiny."

Keila reappeared, Tsena's bags in hand. "Good-bye, Tsena," she said, kissing her cheek. "My emin talu raya, I have so much faith in you."

A few minutes later, Tsena was sitting inside the ship, on her way to Coruscant. She thanked heaven that Coruscant was so close to Teranis. She might arrive before anyone could be hurt.

She shifted in her seat, and something jabbed into her side. She reached into her pocket, and withdrew a small holocam. She stared at it for a second, trying to remember why it was in her pocket – and then she realised it was the holocam she had recorded her last message to Anakin with.

She slipped it back into her pocket. Something told her that she would need it.

She set the coordinates to land at the Temple. She knew that was where Anakin would go.

She stared at her hands, tears welling up once more in her eyes.

_I will save you, Anakin. You are not lost yet._

* * *

Obi-Wan had taken the Senator back to Naboo, and had been informed that the planet's security team had captured Nute Gunray, the Neimodian behind the attempts on Senator Amidala's life. He had decided to go to Teranis to see Tsena and give a report on her to Jovarii, who he knew was missing her Padawan. 

As he approached the city of Gwaan, he spotted Tsena's ship on the platform. _She's still here,_ he though. Yet as he watched, he saw the ship rise and take off in the direction of Coruscant.

He knitted his eyebrows together. _Where is she going? She was expected to stay at least another day or so._

He turned his vehicle around and followed her at a distance.

* * *

"The Chancellor is a Sith," Mace Windu said grimly. 

Yoda shook his head gravely. "Blind we have been."

"We must stop him before he takes a tighter hold on the Senate," Mace said, looking around the Council.

"Underestimate his power, we must not."

Mace nodded. "We will summon what Jedi are able and go to capture him."

Yoda closed his eyes. "A dark day, it is."

* * *

Jovarii was walking to the cafeteria when her comlink beeped, signalling an incoming message. She pulled it out. 

"All able-bodied Jedi are to report to the Council chambers immediately," came Mace Windu's voice.

Jovarii slipped the comlink back into her pocket and began to walk to the Council chambers. She was puzzled, curious and almost apprehensive – the last time she had received such a message, she had gone to Geonosis with two hundred other Jedi to fight thousands of the Separatists' battle droids, and so few had returned.

Something was happening, and it was not good.


	16. Your Path

A/N: In honour of Revenge of the Sith, which is out now! My lucky brother got to see it at midnight. sigh. He asked me to come along, but I couldn't. Anyway, this is probably one of my favourite chapters - I cried when I wrote it, so I don't know if you'll cry when you read it. But hope you like!

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**Chapter Sixteen: Your Path**

Obi-Wan kept his starfighter a little way away from the hangar. He saw Tsena get out of her ship and race away. Quickly, he landed and ran silently after her, keeping out of sight. He had a strong feeling that something was seriously amiss – and he knew that Tsena knew what it was. As long as he followed her, she would lead him to the source of whatever was causing the disturbance in the Force.

Tsena sped through the corridors, allowing the Force to guide her to where she could feel Anakin approaching. She turned a corner and there he was – striding at the head of a formation of clone troopers, lightsaber in hand. She reached out with the Force to the surrounding area, and to her relief felt that it was deserted – the Jedi must have been called away for some reason.

"Anakin!" she cried, darting forward. He held up his hand, bringing the clone troopers to a halt. He smiled when he saw her, his dark and angry face lighting up. She began to shake as she realised that she alone could affect his moods just by appearing – it made her all too aware of the task she had to fulfil. "Anakin, please, don't do this."

He frowned. "Do what?"

"Don't just throw away everything you've strived for for the past ten years! You're a good person. Don't destroy the only home you've ever known."

"How did you know – "

"Anakin, I know what you have chosen. Please, reconsider," she pleaded, tears stinging her eyes. "Don't go down this path. Please."

"What do you mean? I did this for us!" he said, exasperated.

"Anakin, please just send the clone troops back and we can talk about this together."

He hesitated for a moment. Tsena placed her hand on his cheek. "Please," she whispered, her voice thick with tears.

His face softened, and he turned to the clone troops, ordering them to leave the Temple. Tsena watched them go in relief.

"Tsena, I chose this path for us," he told her.

"I am still a Jedi, Anakin. It's just more impossible for us now," she countered.

"You don't have to be," he said. "You can join us, and we wouldn't have to keep our relationship a secret anymore. We could be married openly."

"I couldn't leave the Jedi, Anakin. The Dark side holds nothing for me. And it's not your path – I know it isn't!"

"You don't love me enough to marry me, is that it? I'm still the same person, Tsena. So you don't love me nowt that I've chosen a different path?" His voice was beginning to rise, and he was getting angry.

"No Anakin, that's not it!" Tsena exclaimed, tears running down her cheeks. "I love you, I'll always love you – can't you see that you're breaking my heart by going this way? It's not you! It's not the Anakin I love!" Tears streamed down as she gazed at him, her eyes pleading, begging him to turn back to the light. She felt his anger begin to falter, felt him softening, beginning to return to the Anakin she loved – and then she heard a noise behind her.

She turned around, and there was Obi-Wan, walking towards them, his face grim. _What is he doing here?_ She turned fearfully back to Anakin, and took a step back when she saw the anger on his face.

"Obi-Wan," he hissed. He glared at Tsena. "You tricked me and led him to me!" he said to her.

"What? No, Anakin, I didn't know he was there, I –"

"You betrayed me!" he shouted, and shot out his hand. Tsena felt an unseen force on her throat, choking her.

_He's using the Dark side…_she realised. He lifted her off her feet, and even as she choked, she reached into her pocket to grab her holocam. Just as she grasped it, Anakin threw her across the corridor, and she hit the wall and slumped down, knocked out. The holocam fell from her hand and skittered a short way across the floor.

* * *

Anakin turned to face Obi-Wan and ignited his lightsaber. Obi-Wan did the same, his heart heavy with grief. _So it has come to this…_

Anakin charged forward, and Obi-Wan took the defensive, working to block the young man rather than to overpower him. Anakin's strength was being fuelled by his anger, and his attack was wild and forceful. Obi-Wan was solid, drawing his strength from the Light side of the Force, and slowly pushing Anakin back. The two of them spun around each other, their blue blades clashing in sounds that tore at Obi-Wan's heart. This type of battle – between Master and Padawan – should never take place, should never be fought. Every block, every parry sent great pain through him, tears pushing at his eyes.

Anakin slashed down and Obi-Wan pushed against his blade. The two locked in a battle of strength, both throwing all their might behind the lightsabers.

Anakin took a step backwards, and his heel bumped the holocam. It switched on and rose into the air – seconds later, an image of Tsena stood beside the two duelling Jedi.

"Anakin," Tsena's hologram said, her quiet voice filling the empty corridor and echoing slightly. "By the time you get this message, I will most likely be gone. Please don't blame yourself – it isn't your fault. It might be hard for you to understand, but I know that dying for you is my destiny – like bringing balance to the Force is yours."

At these words, Anakin's blade faltered for a second – but then he pushed against Obi-Wan's lightsaber harder than ever.

"It's so hard for me, knowing that to save you, I have to leave you," Tsena's image continued. "It hurts so much knowing I won't be there when you are made a Knight, or when you begin to teach your own Padawan. But at the same time, it eases my heart to know that you will continue down the right path, as I know you will."

Anakin's grip slackened slightly, and Obi-Wan saw some of the fire in his eyes flicker out.

"Dying is nothing for me if it means you are safe. It is nothing for me if it means you will fulfil the prophecy and your destiny. It means nothing for me if it gives you the brightest, most wonderful future I can imagine for you. Giving my life to save yours is the most honourable death I can imagine – if you are alive, safe and on the right path when you receive this, it is worth it."

Only a small spark of the original anger and hatred flickered in Anakin's eyes now, and Obi-Wan had almost overpowered him.

"I want you to know, Anakin, that I died because I love you. You are the best thing that has happened to me since I became a Jedi, and I will always be with you. I know you will choose the right path. I love you so, so much, my beautiful Anakin, and I will always love you. Forever."

The image of Tsena disappeared, and a single tear made its way down Anakin's cheek. He twisted away from Obi-Wan and deactivated his lightsaber. Obi-Wan stared at him warily, his weapon still raised.

"I will not fight you, Master," Anakin said, his voice wavering. "You can kill me now – I know I deserve it. The woman I love died to keep me on the right path, and she came back to me, only to find that I turned away from that path." He broke down, falling to his knees and dropping his lightsaber to the floor. "I'm so sorry, Master!"

Obi-Wan reached out to Anakin with the Force – all he could sense was grief and remorse. Anakin had returned to the Light side. Obi-Wan deactivated his lightsaber and stepped forward, placing a hand on the young man's shoulder.

"Anakin, fighting you almost tore me apart. To see you turn back to the Light side is all I need to forgive you."

"I'm so sorry," Anakin said again. "I will never use the Dark side again, not when it made me –" He broke off and looked to where Tsena lay unconscious. He rushed to her and took her hand in both of his. "Please wake up, Tsena, please get up…"

She stirred and slowly opened her eyes. "Anakin?" she said – and suddenly her expression was frightened.

Anakin saw it and it pierced him like a toxic dart. He had put that fear in her eyes. He had choked her and made her afraid.

He bent over her, sobs wracking his body. "I'm so sorry Tsena, I'm so sorry! Please forgive me!"

Bewildered, Tsena looked over to where Obi-Wan stood. She saw that his lightsaber was deactivated in his hand, she saw Anakin's hilt lying on the floor, and she saw the holocam hovering in the air a few centimetres away. Then it clicked – somehow, her message had played, and Anakin had stopped fighting Obi-Wan. He had returned to the Light side.

"You've come back to me," she whispered, reaching up to run her fingers through his hair. "I knew you were still there, beneath the darkness. There's no need for forgiveness."

She struggled to her feet, and Anakin helped her up shakily, wiping his tears away hastily. She looked at Obi-Wan. "Where's Jovarii?" she asked.

He closed his eyes. He could feel her in the Force – she was in danger! "Something's happening," he said.

Instinctively, Tsena pulled out her comlink. There was a message from Mace Windu. She must not have noticed it in her rush to reach Anakin. She played it.

"_All able-bodied Jedi are to report to the Council chambers immediately."_

Obi-Wan pulled out his own comlink and played the same message.

"What –" she started to say.

"They must have found out about Palpatine," Anakin said grimly.

"Palpatine?" Obi-Wan questioned.

Anakin nodded and shuddered slightly. "He is a Sith – Darth Sidious."

Tsena breathed in sharply and Obi-Wan's mouth dropped open slightly.

"We have to go," Tsena said. She looked at Anakin. "This must be the time to fulfil the prophecy."

Anakin paled slightly, but nodded resolutely. Tsena slipped her hand in his, and he squeezed it. She was by his side now, and he knew she would see him fulfil the prophecy. He knew she would be with him to the end. He called his lightsaber to him using the Force – the Light side of the Force. He glanced at his master, who stepped next to him in a gesture of support and encouragement. Anakin nodded.

"I'm ready."


	17. Balance

A/N: This is the second-last chapter! Yes, I know - sad. I don't want it to end either. Please review me! I don't mind how many months after I've posted this, I still will love the reviews. I like to know that my story is being read.  
In other news...STAR WARS IS OUT TODAY! I'm very excited. I'm sure most of you will be seeing it very soon!  
Enjoy this chapter, and review!

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**Chapter Seventeen: Balance**

Anakin, Tsena and Obi-Wan sprinted along corridors, rushing to Palpatine's office. The door was only a few metres ahead – they could already feel the menace radiating from the room.

Suddenly, Anakin stopped. The others turned to him in confusion.

"What is it, Anakin?" Obi-Wan asked, almost impatiently.

Anakin stared at him vacantly. "I can't do this," he whispered, his eyes flicking to Tsena. She grabbed his hand and squeezed it gently.

"You can," she assured him firmly. "You can."

"But what if I'm not the Chosen One? What if I turn again?" The look on Anakin's face was one of panic and fear.

"Anakin, there is no possible way that you are not the Chosen One. When we have more time, I will explain how I know, but for now just understand that I know you can do this, and I will do everything I can to help you," Tsena said to him. "And I swear to you that Master Obi-Wan and I will not let you turn back to the Dark side. We will keep you with us, I promise." She looked to Obi-Wan for support.

"I will make sure that you will never know that path again," he added. He understood his Padawan's fears – he himself was feeling a little afraid. He knew that Anakin was afraid that he would give in to the seduction of the Dark side again and let Tsena down – he needed all the encouragement he could give.

Obi-Wan held Anakin's gaze. "Anakin, let go of your fear and anger. You know where they lead, and you can't afford to enter that room carrying that burden."

Anakin felt a flash of resentment at his Master for those words, but he knew he was right – his anger at the Council and fear of not being with Tsena were what led him to the Dark side in the first place. He took a deep breath and let go of all his fear, anger and resentment. Tsena was with him, Obi-Wan was on his side – there was nothing to be angry about.

He placed his hand on his lightsaber hilt. "The two of you need to stay back and follow at a distance. My only advantage over Sidious is the element of surprise," he instructed. The two Jedi nodded, and he ran through the door.

* * *

Mace Windu stood over Sidious with his purple blade extended, ready to deliver the final blow. He looked up when Anakin burst in. A few other Jedi stood around the room, Jovarii among them. Some others lay unconscious on the floor. There had been many Jedi surrounding the building to prevent an escape – every single one held their lightsabers. 

Anakin set up his mental shields to keep the Sith lord from sensing his return to the Jedi. He ignited his lightsaber, his eyes not leaving the scene before him.

**Kill the Jedi, finish them off!** he heard Sidious order in his mind.

He walked forward grimly, and brought his lightsaber down onto Mace Windu's blade.

Jovarii and the other Jedi made for the young man, but Tsena and Obi-Wan burst in.

"No!" cried Tsena, and Obi-Wan waved his lightsaber in a signal for the Jedi to stop.

**What are you doing?** Jovarii silently asked her Padawan and Obi-Wan.

Tsena just shook her head slightly, keeping her eyes on Sidious, who, thankfully, was watching Anakin spar with Mace.

Anakin could hear Sidious' voice in his head, giving him deadly instructions for the duel. He pretended to follow them, but put little strength or precision behind them. The Dark side was almost overwhelming – Sidious continued to silently scream at him, trying to feed his anger. But every time Anakin felt himself giving in, he looked at Tsena and he became calm.

Mace saw the peaceful expression on his face, and realised that he had not turned to the Dark side – no Sith could fight without burning with rage and hatred, and Anakin showed none of those emotions.

They fought their way behind the desk, only a metre separating Mace Windu and Darth Sidious. Anakin flipped over the Jedi Master's head and landed between the two. He lifted his lightsaber for the final strike – but just at the last moment, he reversed his blade and struck out behind him, piercing the Sith lord in the heart.

There was an explosion of blue light, and everyone in the room was knocked to the floor. Anakin was flung across the room, and he hit a wall. Tsena jumped to her feet and ran to him. His strength was spent and he was dazed.

"It's over," he managed to say. "There is balance."

Tsena nodded, her eyes bright with tears of relief. "Yes," she said, smiling. "You did it. You saved us all."

He smiled briefly, but the effort of his emotional and physical battles overwhelmed him, and he lost consciousness.

* * *

Anakin blearily opened his eyes. He was lying in a bed in the medcentre. He felt a light pressure on his hand and turned to see Tsena sitting by the bed, holding his hand. She smiled and smoothed his hair from his forehead. 

"Hello," she said quietly.

"Hello," he replied. He grinned faintly. "I seem to be here quite often."

She chuckled. "You and I both, Anakin."

They were silent for a few minutes, enjoying each other's company, deep in thought. After a while, Anakin spoke again.

"Did I really kill –"

"Yes," Tsena confirmed. She smiled. "You did it. You fulfilled the prophecy, and now the Force is balanced because of you." She gently stroked his cheek. "I knew you could do it."

He lifted her hand and kissed it. "Thank you," he said simply.

She cocked her head to one side. "For what?"

"For forgiving me. For giving me a second chance. For believing in me. I don't deserve someone like you."

She looked down for a second, then she lifted her head and smiled at him. "Anakin, I've believed in you since the day I met you. And as for forgiving you – well, I know that even though what you did was terrible, you did it because you thought it would keep us together. My whole destiny was to love you and be with you. I'll always love you."

He knit his eyebrows together, perplexed. She smiled.

"I never told you what my parents told me, did I?" she asked.

He shook his head. "No. What did they say?"

"There's a Teranian prophecy about a child with blue and gold eyes. The prophecy said that this child – me – would die to save the person they love, see the future of that person, and then come back to life to change that fate, and that in turn would change the fate of the galaxy."

Anakin blinked, slowly digesting the information.

"When I died, I saw you become a Sith," Tsena continued. "I saw people suffering. I knew I had to save them, save you – and I came back. So I knew that you would fulfil your own destiny because mine was to love you and help you do so. Does that make sense?"

He nodded and pulled himself up to a sitting position.

"I love you so much that even death couldn't keep me away from you," she said, shifting closer. She wrapped her arms around him and rested her forehead on his. He held her close and closed his eyes.

"I love you, Tsena. You're the best thing that ever happened to me."

* * *

Obi-Wan stood quietly at the door of the medcentre, watching Anakin and Tsena talk together. He felt Jovarii walk up behind him. 

"Did you know about them?" he asked her, gesturing to the couple inside.

Jovarii smirked. "I had my suspicions. I didn't know it was that serious, though." She paused. "I wonder if, now that the Council knows, they will be allowed to stay together."

"Well, they will not be expelled from the Order after all they have done. But I doubt they will be allowed to stay together. The Jedi are still the Jedi."

"Oh, come now, Kenobi. The entire Order is celebrating the fulfilment of the prophecy! Surely the high spirits will allow for something else to be celebrated," Jovarii said, nodding at the Padawans inside.

Obi-Wan just raised an eyebrow.

"Besides," Jovarii added, grinning widely. "You could put in a good word for them – from what I hear, it won't be long before you are on the Council."

Obi-Wan frowned. "Nothing has been confirmed, Jovarii. The Council are simply considering."

"Say what you like, Kenobi – you'll be on the Council."

He glanced at Anakin and Tsena. "I wonder if I will, given that I have broken the Code."

She stared at him. _He means…me. He means us._ "Obi-Wan –"

He held up a hand. "I'm not blaming you, Jovarii. We may be Jedi, but we are human. We are susceptible to feelings."

She gave him a lopsided smile. "No matter what the Council decides in regards to you and relationships, I'll always love you, Obi-Wan," she said softly, displaying her gentle, vulnerable side that Obi-Wan had seen only a few times before. She had never admitted her feelings out loud before, and the fact that she did made him smile. He loved every facet of her personality, from her teasing to her seriousness to her soft side.

He looked deep into her grey eyes, losing himself in the complexities of this woman who challenged, supported and cared about him for half of his life – and he knew would continue to do so for many years to come.

"I will love you too," he said, and he took her hand.


	18. Epilogue

A/N: It's over! cries I've loved writing and posting this whole story, and I have to thank all of you who reviewed, and anyone out there who has read this, but didn't review (hint hint REVIEW cough hint hint). Don't worry, this isn't the last you'll be hearing from me - keep an eye out for a Jovarii/Obi-Wan one-shot songfic, and a series of song parodies. Thank you for reading, and I hope you like this chapter! May the Force be with you all

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**Chapter Eighteen: Epilogue**

_Three weeks later…_

Anakin waited nervously in his best robes, looking around the room. His eyes flicked from Master Yoda to Mace Windu, and he glanced at Obi-Wan, who stood nearby, the newest member of the Jedi Council. He ran his hand through his hair, feeling the spot where his Padawan braid used to be. He recalled the ceremony that had taken place when he officially attained the rank of Jedi Knight two weeks ago. He had been called to the Council afterwards, and now he ran through the meeting in his head.

"_Congratulate you, we do on your elevation to Jedi Knight," Yoda said. "Another matter, however, we wish to discuss."_

"_We are aware of your relationship with Tsena Jotain," Mace put in. "We know also your wish to marry."_

"_An interesting puzzle it has been," Yoda added._

"_The circumstances surrounding the two of you have caused us to consider our decision carefully," Mace went one. "And this is our decision: we have altered the Code to allow couples to marry on the condition of approval and consent from the Council. You and Tsena have shown us that love, if pure, can strengthen and aid a Jedi with uncorrupted motives. Anakin, you have our permission and approval to marry Tsena."_

Anakin glanced again at Obi-Wan. His former Master stood beside Jovarii, who wore a simple metal band on her finger. The two Jedi stood close together, their hands almost touching – they were to wed next week. Obi-Wan had told him of his relationship with her shortly after he had received permission to marry Tsena. Anakin grinned at the memory of his former master's hesitant words – he had seemed to be apprehensive of his reaction to the confession. Anakin had of course been nothing but supportive and happy for Obi-Wan – he felt he deserved personal happiness after all his altruistic work for the Jedi and the Republic.

Anakin's nerves were beginning to rise. He glanced to the side at the newly elected Supreme Chancellor of the Republic, Padmé Amidala. She flashed him an encouraging smile, and he returned it with a shaky one of his own. The two of them had remained friends after Count Dooku's death, and he was grateful to be able to share his memories of his mother with someone who had met her.

The door slid open and Tsena walked in, clad in a simple white dress, her long dark tresses falling in soft waves around her face, her Padawan braid, like Anakin's, now gone. As soon as Anakin looked into her beautiful blue and gold eyes, his nervousness melted away and was replaced with pure joy and certainty – this was right.

Jovarii smiled with tears of pride and delight in her eyes as Tsena walked past her. Her former Padawan turned to briefly clasp her hand and smile at her.

**You look beautiful, Tsena. I am so happy for you,** she told her silently.

**Thank you, Jovarii. It means so much to have you here with me,** Tsena replied. **And I am entirely glad for you and Obi-Wan.**

Jovarii smiled and let her go, watching her walk up to her waiting husband-to-be. She stepped back next to Obi-Wan and turned to gaze at him momentarily. She felt his warm hand slip into hers, and she smiled. Together, they turned to watch the rest of the ceremony.

Obi-Wan glanced down at her as the ceremony began. Soon they would be in the same positions as their former Padawans were now. Soon they would be beginning their lives as husband and wife.

Tsena stepped beside Anakin and took his hands in hers. The Teranian holy man began to recite the ancient marriage vows. Anakin repeated them, the smile on his face making him more handsome than ever. Tsena could think of nothing more perfect than this act, this official union between her and the man who was half of her soul, and had all of her heart.

She recited the vows after the holy man, speaking the words with complete sincerity from her heart.

"From this day forward, I pledge my life to you. I give you my heart and soul, and my love for you will never fade or grow weary. I will honour and protect you, comfort and guide you, and cherish and love you even after the final hour. Our lives will be as one. May your dreams be woven with mine, may your days be entwined with mine, and may your destiny be mine."

**I love you, Anakin,** she told him, tears of joy brimming in her eyes. He lifted his hand to her cheek.

**I love you too, Tsena.**

And Anakin and Tsena shared their first sweet kiss as husband and wife.

_Fin_


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